New Delhi– The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has directed all food and beverage manufacturers to immediately remove the term “ORS” (Oral Rehydration Solution) from product labels, citing misleading claims about health benefits.
The order aims to prevent consumer confusion, as only medically certified ORS products can use the term. Non-compliance will attract fines up to ₹10 lakh. Manufacturers have 30 days to update packaging. FSSAI emphasized stricter enforcement to protect public health.
Background: Public Interest Litigation
The regulatory intervention follows a nearly decade-long campaign by Hyderabad-based paediatrician Dr. Sivaranjani Santosh against sugar-rich beverages falsely marketed as ORS. In 2022, she filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in the Telangana High Court challenging beverages that claimed to be ORS but failed to meet WHO-recommended electrolyte and glucose standards.
Her petition highlighted the potential health risks, especially to children and diabetic patients, and her complaints reached the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, prompting regulatory scrutiny.
Court and Regulatory Actions
The Telangana High Court directed FSSAI and the Drug Controller General of India to respond, recognising the public health implications of misleading ORS claims.
In April 2022, FSSAI issued its first restriction, but in July the regulator temporarily allowed companies holding valid trademarks to continue production until the Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trademarks issued a final decision.
Health Risks from Mislabelled Beverages
WHO-approved ORS has a total osmolarity of 245 mOsm/L, with precise quantities of sodium, potassium, chloride, and dextrose. In contrast, many marketed products contained up to 120 grams of sugar per litre, with minimal electrolytes, posing serious health risks.
