‘Not A Real Noun’: Thailand Proposes Labelling Ban on Plant-Based Meat and Cheese

Thailand's Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has proposed draft regulations that could ban certain meat- and dairy-related terms for plant-based meat and cheese products. The FDA aims to address the lack of clear guidelines for alternative proteins by establishing a special research team to study regulations from other countries.

Under the proposed regulations, plant-based meat companies in Thailand would have to use names that clearly indicate the products are plant-based, such as "plant-based nuggets" instead of "plant-based chicken nuggets." Additionally, terms like "dairy-free milk" and names that suggest equivalence with conventional dairy products would be prohibited. However, these regulations have faced criticism for being outdated and out of touch with consumer trends, as the majority of Thai consumers are open to replacing meat with alternative proteins.