Thailand enforcing new maximum RDIs for nine vitamins and minerals from July 2

29-Jan-2024 - Last updated on 29-Jan-2024 at 02:49 GMT

Thailand is enforcing new maximum RDIs for nine vitamins and minerals from July 2. ©Getty Images

Thailand is enforcing new maximum levels for the Recommended Daily Intakes (RDIs) of nine vitamins and minerals from July 2, including increasing the RDI of vitamin C, D, and biotin.

This is according to the Ministry of Public Health Announcement (No. 448), which makes changes to the maximum RDIs set in year 2005 encompassing 28 vitamins and minerals.

The latest announcement has increased the maximum RDIs of eight vitamins and minerals, while that of 17 vitamins and minerals remaining unchanged, with the remaining three either reduced or removed.

For example, the maximum RDI for vitamin D has increased from 5 μg to 15 μg, vitamin C from 60mg to 1,000mg, vitamin B1 from 1.5mg to 100mg, vitamin B2 from 1.7mg to 40mg, vitamin B12 from 2 μg to 600 μg, and biotin from 150 μg to 900 μg.

Only the maximum RDI of nicotinic acid has been reduced from 20mg niacin equivalent (NE) to 15mg NE.

That of vitamin K remains unchanged at 80 μg, similarly for magnesium at 350mg, phosphorus at 800mg, iron at 15mg, zinc at 15mg, and potassium 3,500mg.

In addition, the Ministry of Public Health has also changed the repealed and replaced one of the clauses regarding food supplement.

In the previous year 2005 announcement, clause 5(5) states that food supplement shall be of qualities or standards as follows: “Vitamin or mineral content shall not be less than 15% and not exceed the maximum specified in nutrient list for Thai Recommended Daily Intakes for age of 6 years and up (Thai RDI) for food supplements whose purpose as to give vitamins or minerals.

“For vitamins or minerals that are not prescribed, the Food and Drug Administration shall prescribe [them] according to an approval of the Food Committee.”

The phrase “for age of 6 years and up” is removed in the new version of the clause, but the requirements that the vitamin or mineral content in food supplements “shall not be less than 15% of the Thai reference daily intakes (RDI)” and to adhere to the maximum RDIs remain.

The new clause is now changed to “contains the type of vitamins or minerals with maximum level as specified in the annex of this notification and shall not be less than 15% of the Thai reference daily intakes-THAI RDIs of the notification of the Ministry of Public Health entitled “Nutrition labelling” for food supplements whose purpose as to give vitamins or minerals.”

The change will come into force on July 2, minister of public health, Dr Cholnan Srikaew, announced.

Meanwhile, food supplements produced prior to the date of the notification can still be sold but no more than three years from the date of the notification, which is on July 1, 2027.