The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has told State and UT food safety departments to immediately remove all drinks that wrongly use the term ‘ORS’ in their names. This includes fruit drinks, energy drinks, electrolyte beverages, and other ready-to-serve drinks being sold in markets and on e-commerce sites.
In its order dated November 19, FSSAI said some companies are still selling products labelled as ‘ORS’ even though it had already warned them in October not to use this term. FSSAI explained that ‘ORS’ refers only to WHO-approved Oral Rehydration Salts, which are considered a drug, not a food product. Using this term on normal beverages violates the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
The authority also noted that some officials mistakenly acted against genuine ORS products. FSSAI clarified that its directions do not apply to real ORS, which is regulated under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940. Genuine ORS should not be sampled or seized like food products, it said.
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