Mandatory TIS for Food-Contact Paper: What It Covers, When It Applies and How to Prepare
Food-contact paper has two mandatory TIS standards that cover different uses and take effect on different dates. Importers should know which one applies and start preparing early.
Does the food-contact paper you import or sell fall under mandatory TIS (มอก.)?
Food-contact paper now has two mandatory standards. Each covers a different use and takes effect on a different date. This article helps you work out which one your product is likely to fall under, and what to prepare first.
What is mandatory TIS for food-contact paper, and what products does it cover?
A mandatory TIS standard means the product must be licensed before it is manufactured or imported for sale. New to this? Start with What is TIS?
Paper used with food has two mandatory standards:
| TIS 2948-2562 | TIS 3438-2565 | |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | Paper for food contact | Food-contact paper for cooking with heat |
| Products | Paper, board and paper containers with no colour added to the pulp | Paper, board and paper containers made from virgin pulp, or virgin pulp mixed with synthetic fibre, with no colour added to the pulp |
| Use | General food, and food filled while hot | Filtering hot liquids, heating food or cooking food at no more than 220 °C |
Both standards focus on safety — paper that could allow chemicals to migrate into food. TIS 2948-2562 covers both direct and indirect food contact.
If you import products such as paper food boxes, paper cups or food wrapping paper, look at what kind of food they are used with and whether heat is involved, then start with the online TIS check.
When do the food-contact paper standards take effect?
The two standards do not start on the same date:
- TIS 3438-2565 (cooking with heat) is set to take effect on 22 June 2026, a date that had already passed when this article was written
- TIS 2948-2562 (general food-contact paper) is set to take effect on 22 June 2027
If your product falls under TIS 3438-2565, check your license status as soon as possible. Products under TIS 2948-2562 still have time, but licensing involves several steps. Starting early reduces the risk of goods failing customs clearance, storage fees, return shipping costs or lost time.
Which food-contact paper is not covered?
TIS 3438-2565 states that it does not cover food-contact paper that already has a published standard. The information we have does not list any other exemptions.
The scope of both standards also refers to paper with “no colour added to the pulp”. If your product differs from what is described — for example, colour is added to the pulp, or it is used at a higher temperature than the standard allows — that does not mean it skips licensing. It may fall under another standard or another agency, and needs to be checked case by case.
Do a quick first check with the online TIS check.
How should importers of food-contact paper prepare?
You don't need to know standards terminology first. Just tell us what the product is. Information that helps us assess it faster includes:
- Product form: paper sheets, board or paper containers
- Use: general food, hot filling, filtering hot liquids, heating or cooking food
- Operating temperature, if the product is used with heat
- Raw materials: what pulp is used, and whether colour is added to the pulp
Documents, test results and licensing steps depend on the product's type and characteristics, so they have to be checked case by case. See our FAQ for more on documents and steps.
Many products, or not sure what your product is?
Many importers bring in several kinds of paper products in one lot. Some may fall under one standard, some under the other, and some may need a closer look. Grouping products by use from the start makes it clearer what to handle first.
We handle anything from a single SKU to a full portfolio. If you're not sure which product falls under which standard, or your information is incomplete, just share what you have. Send us your product details.
Check your food-contact paper before you import
In short: food-contact paper has two mandatory standards. The date set for the cooking-with-heat standard has already passed, and the general standard takes effect in 2027. The sooner you know which one applies, the easier it is to plan.
We are a small TIS consultancy that files applications and coordinates with TISI directly. You talk with the people doing the work, with one coordinator for the whole project.
- The initial requirements check takes 1–2 days
- We confirm the scope of work and fees before we start
- We tell you the real result, whether or not your product is covered
Good to know
The examples in this article do not mean every type of food-contact paper needs TIS. Check your product's details directly.
Not sure what your product needs?
Send us your product details and we'll help you work out where to start.