FSSAI directs ecommerce platforms to adhere to norms on health, energy drinks classification
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has directed ecommerce players to “promptly rectify” misclassification of certain products that are being sold as “health drinks” or “energy drinks” on their platforms.
It said this corrective action is needed to ensure transparency and enable consumers to make wellinformed choices.
This direction comes after the food safety authority observed that ecommerce players are erroneously categorising certain milk, cereals and maltbased beverages as health drinks or energy drinks on their platforms.
In a statement, the FSSAI said that it has observed instances of dairybased beverage mix, cerealbased beverage mix or maltbased beverages, which are proprietary food products, being sold by ecommerce platforms under the category “health” drinks or “energy” drinks. The Food Safety Authority said the Food Safety and Standards Act does not standardise or define the term “health drink”.
“Therefore, the FSSAI has advised all ecommerce FBOs to promptly rectify this misclassification by removing or delinking such drinks or beverages from the category of ‘health drinks/energy drinks’ on their websites and place such products in the appropriate category as provided under the extant law,” an official statement added.
It also noted that the ‘energy’ drink classification is permitted to be used only on the products that adhere to the standards of this category and are licensed under the Food Product Standards and Food Additives Regulations 2011 (Caffeinated Beverage).
CORRECTIVE ACTION
The authority has asked all ecommerce operators to “ensure appropriate categorisation” of food products being sold on their websites. “This corrective action aims to enhance clarity and transparency regarding the nature and functional properties of the products, ensuring that consumers can make wellinformed choices without encountering misleading information,” it added.
Proprietary foods are food products that are not standardised under FSSAI regulations but use standard ingredients.