In order to support Japanese food companies to expand overseas business, JETRO Bangkok office, collaborated by Japan Embassy and Agricultural & Marine Product Division, Japanese Chamber of Commerce, Bangkok, hosted the “Overseas Liaison Council Seminar” on October 25, 2013, in Bangkok, Thailand, aiming at sharing information and exchanging opinions within stakeholders such as Japanese Government, enterprises and JETRO. Dr. Kazuhiko Nakahara, JIRCAS Project Leader of "Advanced application of local food resources in Asia", and Ms. Patcharee Tungtrakul,?Director, Institute of Food Research and Product Development (IFRPD), Kasetsart University , participated in this seminar. IFRPD is a collaborative institute of the project in Thailand. Dr. Nakahaka, in his speech on “Outline of functional food researches by JIRCAS”, introduced the JIRCAS food research results, such as antimutagenic activity and antioxidative activity in indigenous plants from Thailand, blood sugar suppressant effect of fermented soybean food, and hypotensive effect of fermented food. In addition, Ms. Patcharee gave her speech on “Information about food industry in Thailand: Food regulation and IFRPD’s activities”. She expounded the conditions of food regulation of Thailand Food and Drug Agency (FDA), and IFRPD’s activities which are currently implemented to support food industry. During the following Q&A session, the participants asked the questions and exchange their opinions such as “how can companies involve into the seminars on project of advanced application of local food resources”.

Samples of functional food developed by project "Advanced application of local food resource in Asia" (antioxidative cooked rice nugget by using cooking water of Thai indigenous vegetables)