The Thai FDA has published a notification of the Ministry of Public Health for chocolate, chocolate products and cocoa bean products. The new regulations were enforced on June 30, 2023.

Chocolate And Chocolate Products

It is deemed appropriate to revise the Notification of Ministry of Public Health regarding chocolate to have qualities and standards for chocolate and chocolate products comply with international standards and current production technology development.

“Chocolate” means the homogenous product obtained by an adequate manufacturing process from cocoa beans or cocoa materials which may be combined with milk products, sugars, food additives, flavouring agents, and vegetable fats other than cocoa butter.

“Chocolate products” means “chocolate” which is added with other edible foodstuffs that shall not be hazardous to health, other than milk ingredients, sugars, food additives, flavouring agents, and vegetable fats other than cocoa butter.

The following chocolates and chocolate products shall have specific qualities and standards as specified in the Annex of this notification:

1. Chocolate
2. Sweet Chocolate
3. Chocolate a la taza
4. Chocolate familiar a la taza
5. Couverture Chocolate
6. Milk Chocolate
7. Family Milk Chocolate
8. Milk Chocolate Couverture
9. White Chocolate
10. Gianduja Chocolate
11. Gianduja Milk Chocolate
12. Chocolate para mesa
13. Semi-bitter chocolate para mesa
14. Bitter chocolate para mesa
15. Chocolate Vermicelli / Chocolate Flakes
16. Milk Chocolate Vermicelli / Milk Chocolate Flakes
17. Filled Chocolate
18. Praline

Chocolate and chocolate products as described above, in addition to having specific qualities and standards as specified in the Annex of this notification, shall have qualities and standards as follows:

1. Odor and taste shall be inherent to the specific characteristics of such chocolate or chocolate products.
2. The addition of vegetable fats other than cocoa butter shall not exceed 5% of the chocolate, after deduction of the total weight of any other added edible foodstuffs excluding milk ingredients, sugars, food additives and flavouring agents, without reducing the minimum contents of cocoa materials as specified in Annex of this notification.
3. The addition of flour or starch and animal fats other than milk fat shall be prohibited, except chocolate a la taza which the addition of flour or starch from wheat, maize or rice is permitted but not exceeding the level specified in Annex of this notification.
4. The addition of edible foodstuffs which not harmful to health; other than milk ingredients, sugars, food additives, flavouring agents, vegetable fats which not cocoa butter; shall not exceed 40% of total weight of finished product, except Gianduja chocolate may be added whole or broken nut varieties (ex. almonds, hazelnuts), in such quantities, together with the ground hazelnuts content as specified in Annex of this notification, but shall not exceed 60% of the total weight of the finished product
5. Contaminants shall not be found in amounts exceeding the maximum levels specified in the standard for contaminants in food regulation.
6. Pathogenic microorganisms shall follow the pathogenic microorganisms in food regulation.
7. Yeast and mold shall be less than 100 CFU in 1 gram of chocolate or chocolate products.

Use of food additives and processing aids, flavouring agents, packaging and labelling shall follow the regulations.

Cocoa Bean Products

“Cocoa mass” or “Cocoa liquor” means the product obtained by crushing or grinding cocoa nib, either with or without roasting.

“Cocoa powder” means the products obtained from cocoa beans that have been shelled, roasted and ground, taken through the fat extraction process by compression method and then ground into powder. Alkali may be used in the production process to improve aroma, flavour and color. This includes Fat-reduced cocoa powder, Highly Fat-reduced cocoa powder and Cocoa powder mixed with cacao powder.

“Cacao powder” means the products obtained from cocoa beans that have been shelled, without roasted but may be baked at low temperatures and ground, taken through cold-pressed process and then ground into powder. This includes Fat-reduced cacao powder, Highly Fat-reduced cacao powder.

Cocoa bean products as above shall have specific qualities and standards as follows:

1. Cocoa butter shall contain free fatty acid (expressed as oleic acid) not exceeding 1.75%, and unsaponifiable matter not exceeding 0.7% except for press cocoa butter shall not exceed 0.35%.
2. Cocoa mass or Cocoa liquor shall contain cocoa shell and germ does not exceed 5% (calculated on the fat-free dry matter) or not exceed 1.75% (calculated on an alkali free basis (for Cocoa Shell only), and Cocoa Butter content 47 – 60%.
3. Cocoa powder
   • Cocoa powder shall contain cocoa butter not less than 20% (on a dry matter basis) and moisture content does not exceed 7%
   • Fat-reduced cocoa powder shall contain cocoa butter from 10% but less than 20% (on a dry matter basis) and moisture content does not exceed 7%
   • Highly Fat-reduced cocoa powder shall contain cocoa butter less than 10% (on a dry matter basis) and moisture content does not exceed 7%
4. Cacao powder
   • Cacao powder shall contain cocoa butter not less than 20% (on a dry matter basis) and moisture content does not exceed 7%
   • Fat-reduced cacao powder shall contain cocoa butter from 10% but less than 20% (on a dry matter basis) and moisture content does not exceed 7%
   • Highly Fat-reduced cacao powder shall contain cocoa butter less than 10% (on a dry matter basis) and moisture content does not exceed 7%

Cocoa bean products as above, in addition to having specific qualities and standards as specified in this notification, shall have qualities and standards as follows:

1. Contaminants shall not be found in amounts exceeding the maximum levels specified in the standard for contaminants in food regulation
2. Pathogenic microorganisms shall follow the pathogenic microorganisms in food regulation
3. Yeast and mold shall be less than 100 CFU in 1 gram of of Cocoa powder or Cacao powder

Use of food additives and processing aids, flavouring agents, packaging and labelling shall follow the regulations.

References:

Food and Drug Administration. (2023). Notification of the Ministry of Public Health (No.441) B.E 2566 (2023) Issued By Virtue Of The Food Act, B.E. 2522 (1979) Re: Chocolate And Chocolate Products.

Food and Drug Administration. (2023). Notification of the Ministry of Public Health (No.442) B.E 2566 (2023) Issued By Virtue Of The Food Act, B.E. 2522 (1979) Re: Cocoa Bean Products.