The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has instructed state authorities to remove fruit-based beverages, ready-to-serve drinks, electrolyte drinks, and similar products falsely marketed under the ‘ORS’ (Oral Rehydration Solution) label from retail shelves, according to official sources.
Last month, the regulator ordered all food business operators to immediately discontinue the use of the term ‘ORS’ in product labels and advertisements, stating that such usage misleads consumers and violates food safety regulations. In a letter dated November 19, FSSAI directed all State and Union Territory Food Safety Commissioners to ensure the “immediate removal of misleading and deceptively labelled” beverages— including fruit-based drinks, electrolyte drinks, and energy drinks — that are being sold using the term ‘ORS’ in their brand or product names. This directive also applies to items listed on e-commerce platforms.
The regulator noted that despite its earlier instructions, several misleading products continue to be available in the market, constituting a violation of its October 14 order. In that order, FSSAI clarified that the term ‘ORS’ cannot be used in trademarked names or in the nomenclature of any food product, even if paired with a prefix or suffix, as such usage breaches the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
The latest directive also cancels previous allowances issued in July 2022 and February 2024, which had temporarily permitted the use of ‘ORS’ on food labels, provided they carried a clear disclaimer stating that the product is not a WHO-recommended ORS formula.
