Thai food exporters to be more health conscious

BANGKOK, June 20 (TNA) - Thai food exporters are to be more health conscious as British activists are calling for a new regulation to control the content of salt and sugar in food products. Malee Choklumlerd, Director-General of the Ministry of Commerce’s Department of International Trade Promotion, told journalists of the update on June 19, acknowledging that food-related activists in the United Kingdom (UK) are demanding their government to require food suppliers and exporters to lower the content of salt and sugar and limit their sponsorships in sports events to reduce premature death from illnesses, including obesity and diabetes, among consumers. Malee noted that UK is the 6th biggest market of Thai food exports, including processed chicken, canned and processed seafood, canned and processed fruits, rice and seasonings. “Thai producers and exporters should make their food products healthy and avoid any inappropriate content of seasonings to meet the demand of consumers in UK. This is a chance for Thai organic products to win a bigger market share there,” suggested the senior official. The senior official warned if the British government controls the sponsorships of food and beverage products with the high content of salt and sugar in sports events, the measure will affect Thai products sponsoring British football clubs. According to the senior official, UK food activists also called for control on advertisements of alcohol and food products with the high content of fat, salt and sugar. (TNA)