The Food and Drug Administration (Thai FDA) joins hands with the International Life Sciences Instute (ILSI) and the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) of the Republic of Korea to exchange regulatory knowledge on functional foods, enhancing consumer safety and creating business opportunities for Thai entrepreneurs to compete in the global market, in response to projections that the global functional food market will reach USD 793 billion by 2032.

Mr. Lertchai Lertvut. Deputy Secretany-General the Thai FDA, together with officials from Thai FDA, held an in-depth discussion with representatives from the IILSI and the MFDS of the Republic of Korea to exchange perspectives and experiences on functional food regulation. The discussion took place amid a rapid global shift toward health-oriented diets. Market reports indicate that the global functional foods market was valued at USD 364 bilion in 2024 and is projected to surge to USD 793 billion by 2032--an average annual growth rate of 10.3%. Asia stands out as a key and fast-growing region, in particular in the Republic of Korea, where the functional foods market reached USD 4.7 billon in 2023 and has been expanding at an average rate of 23% per year, reffecting a strong on preventive health through popular products such as red ginseng, probiotics, and vitamins. Thailand's functional foods market likewise shows strong potential, expected to reach USD 6.9 billion by 2032, with an average annual growth rate of 7.6%. This underscores the significant market opportunities for innovative food and health products in the future.

The public can therefore be confident that functional foods in Thailand will meet the highest standards of quality and safety, whie entrecreurs beneft from clear, globally algned guidelnes-enabling them to scale innovation and expand into broader markets. At the same time, Thailand's image in health product regulation will be elevated, strengthening international confidence and the country's long-term competitiveness on the global stage. The Thai FDA remains committed to developing a regulatory system that keeps pace with global change, placing consumer safety at the center while supporting Thai entreneurs to grow on the foundation of international standards--there by enhancing national confidence and compettiveness over the long tern, the Deputy Secretary-General concluded.

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Published on 19 September 2025