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Published on August 29, 2007

News of the findings could affect sales of the foods, which are very popular as souvenirs and Otop products.

Anatta Karun said the centre last year collected 27 samples of chilli paste and 23 samples of fish curry from souvenir shops in Krabi, Phang Nga and Phuket. The samples were tested for the preservative bensoic acid and sorbic acid, plus lead, cadmium and mercury, and had an amount of microbes measured.

The results found that half of the products were substandard because they either contained microbes or were far too heavy on preservatives - up to 10 times more than allowed by the Codex (Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations), he said.

Codex allows up to 1,000 milligrams of the preservative bensoic acid per kilogram of food product, but the samples had an average of 2,000-3,000 milligrams of bensoic acid per kilo, he said.

Anatta said this was because producers - mostly villagers - did not know how to use the preservatives properly and needed to be taught so they could apply proper production controls to ensure good quality and safe foods.

Admitting the study may affect Otop products, he said the testing was meant to lift the quality of the foods so that they meet Food and Drug Administration standards.

The Nation