India's food regulator has issued a new advisory directing food and beverage companies to remove the term “ORS” (Oral Rehydration Solution) from all product names, labels, and trademarks, even if used with a prefix or suffix.
In its latest directive dated October 14, 2025, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) clarified that using “ORS” for drinks or beverages—including fruit-based, non-carbonated, or ready-to-drink products—violates the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
The decision follows a detailed review of earlier permissions granted in 2022 and 2024, which had allowed companies to use “ORS” in product names, provided they carried a disclaimer: “The product is NOT an ORS formula as recommended by WHO.”
However, the food regulator has revoked these permissions, noting that continued use of “ORS” on such products is misleading and deceptive, as many consumers may mistakenly perceive these drinks as medically approved rehydration solutions.
The advisory notes that the use of “ORS” by beverage makers misleads consumers “by way of false, deceptive, ambiguous, and erroneous names or label declarations.”
Such practices, it said, violate several provisions of the Food Safety and Standards (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020 and the Advertising and Claims Regulations, 2018.