FSSAI Directs Exclusion Of Select Drinks From Health, Energy Drink Category

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India has asked all e-commerce food business operators, or FBOs, to ensure that certain categories of pre-mixes are not sold as health drinks or energy drinks.

Dairy-based beverage mixes, cereal-based beverage mixes, and malt-based beverages should not be classified as health drinks, the regulator said in a press release.

FSSAI has clarified that the term ‘health drink’ is not defined or standardised anywhere under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, or regulations made thereunder.

Consequently, e-commerce operators have been asked to rectify this misclassification by removing such drinks or beverages from the category of ‘health drinks/energy drinks’.

This corrective action aims to enhance clarity and transparency regarding the nature and functional properties of the products, ensuring that consumers can make well-informed choices without encountering misleading information.