Thailand Prohibits the Use of Melatonin in Food Products

Recently health supplements containing melatonin were found on Thailand social media with the claims of helping with sleep. On Aug. 24, 2020, Poonlarp Chantawitwong, Deputy Secretary General of the Thailand Food and Drug Administration, clarified that melatonin does not belong to food according to “Food Act” B.E.2522, and it is not allowed to use melatonin as food ingredient ^[1].

In Thailand, drugs containing melatonin must be consumed under the guidance of doctors and the authority warned that consumers should not purchase health supplements containing melatonin that claim sleep assistance.

The regulation of melatonin varies amongst countries. In USA, melatonin is permitted as food ingredient for health supplements and the products do not require sales permission; in Canada, it is allowed to be used in natural health products with the recommended daily dosage ranging from 0.5mg-10mg. In the EU however, melatonin cannot be added into food, and in Australia, it is a drug ingredient ^[2].

In China, melatonin can be served as the ingredient for health food products with the purity over 99.5% and recommended daily dosage ranging from 1mg-3mg ^[3]. In March 2019, China State Administration for Market Regulation was proposed to append health food positive list with 5 new functional ingredients (coenzyme Q10, melatonin, fish oil, reishi shell-broken spore powder and spirulina), indicating that products using melatonin bearing sleep improvement function will be eligible for health food filing.