The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has directed State and Union Territory Food Safety Authorities to immediately remove from sale all fruit-based beverages, ready-to-serve drinks, energy drinks, electrolyte beverages, and similar products that are being marketed using the term ORS in their brand names or product names.
In a regulatory order dated November 19, the FSSAI said several manufacturers continue to sell products labelled as ‘ORS’ despite earlier directions issued on October 14 and 15 that prohibited the use of the term in brand names or as prefixes or suffixes for food products. The authority underscored that the use of ‘ORS’ in this manner violates provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, because the term is associated exclusively with WHO-recommended Oral Rehydration Salts, which are drug products.
The October directives were issued after an eight-year effort by Hyderabad-based paediatrician Dr. Sivaranjani Santosh, who has been campaigning against major pharmaceutical companies for selling sugar-heavy beverages disguised as ORS.
The regulator noted that such misleading products are still available in grocery stores, modern retail outlets, and across major e-commerce platforms. Concerns were raised that consumers may confuse these beverages with legitimate ORS formulations intended for the management of dehydration.
To curb the practice, FSSAI has instructed Designated Officers and Field Officers to begin immediate verification and inspection drives across retail stores and online marketplaces. Officials have been asked to identify non-compliant products using the term ‘ORS’, ensure their prompt removal from sale, and initiate regulatory action against the food business operators responsible. Authorities have also been directed to submit a detailed Action Taken Report listing inspections, violations, corrective steps, and product removals.
The order also recorded instances of Food Safety Officers acting against genuine WHO-recommended ORS products. FSSAI clarified that its earlier directions applied only to misleading food and beverage products and do not regulate or restrict the manufacture or sale of legitimate ORS, which falls under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940. The authority reaffirmed that WHO-recommended ORS is a drug product and must not be subjected to sampling, seizure, or enforcement action intended for food commodities.
Published – November 20, 2025 04:40 pm IST
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