Department of Science Service (DSS) as ASEAN Food Reference Laboratory for Food Contact Materials (AFRL for FCM) organized FCM Training 2024: Migration of Bisphenol A from Drinking Equipment during 13 – 15 May 2024 at DSS. The objectives of the training were to enhance the testing capability of National Food Reference Laboratories (NFRL) of ASEAN member States. In this training, there were totally 10 participants from 6 countries consisting of Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Myanmar, Philippines and Thailand. Bisphenol A is classified as substances of Very High Concerns (SVHCs) because of their endocrine disrupting property. Therefore, this training is very useful to NFRL of each member country for monitoring the contamination of Bisphenol A from packaging into beverages.

Mr. Chinawat Tongchat and Mr. Piriya Srichao, scientists from Department of Science Service (DSS) participated in the training program “Analysis of Surrogate Substances from Challenge Test in rPET” during 4 – 8 September 2023 at the laboratory of Aragon Institute for Engineering Research, University of Zaragoza, Spain. The training aimed to provide the analytical technique for determining of the surrogate substances, including Chlorobenzene (Volatile polar substance), Toluene (Volatile non-polar substance), Benzophenone (Non-volatile polar substance) and Phenylcyclohexane (non-volatile non-polar substance) in recycled polyethylene terephthalate (rPET) to evaluate the decontamination efficiency of recycling process of PET for reproducing FCM by challenge test according to EU guideline.

On 29^th June 2023, Mr. Pathom Sawanpanyalert, Director General, the executives and scientists of Department of Scien ce Service (DSS) gave a welcome to EU experts, Ms. Milada Sycova from Public Health Authority, Slovakia and Ms. Jitka Sosnovcova from National Institute of Public Health, Czech Republic for visiting ASEAN Food Reference Laboratory for Food Contact Materials (AFRL for FCM). The visit was a part of Better Training for Safer Food program (BTSF) fund by EU Commission aiming at exchanging and sharing the information on FCM tests according to EU legislations.

       Department of Science Service (DSS) cooperating with Office of Permanent Secretary (OPS), Ministry of Science and Technology, organized FCM Training 2019: Food Contact Regulations for Rubber Products during March 19th – 21st, 2019 at DSS.

       The objectives of the training were to enhance the capability of laboratory personnel of ASEAN member countries and to provide Thai small and medium enterprises (SMEs) with the information of international regulations and standards for food contact rubbers as well as the determination of residual powder, aqueous extractable protein content, Nitrosamine and Nitrosatable in rubber products. In this regard, Dr. Martin Forrest, the expert from Smithers Rapra, UK, was invited to be the lecturer. There were totally 40 participants consisting of 23 from Thai SMEs and 17 from national food reference laboratories of 9 ASEAN Member countries (Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam). In addition, the ASEAN delegates visited Royal Industries (Thailand) Public Company Limited on March 21st, 2019 in order to study the manufacturing processes of silicone teats and plastic baby bottles including the quality control of products at in-house testing laboratory. In conclusion, this training brought the opportunity to exchange the knowledge and information of regulations on food contact materials among Thai manufacturers, analysts, and experts as well as creating the network of food contact materials safety among ASEAN region.