FSSAI proposes ban on health supplements in guise of ‘medicines’

Clamping down on <g data-gr-id="26">mis-labelling</g> of ‘health supplements’, food safety regulator FSSAI on Thursday proposed banning sale of these products as ‘medicines’ and announced new norms for products based on <g data-gr-id="27">ayurveda</g>, <g data-gr-id="28">sidhha</g>, <g data-gr-id="29">unani</g> and other traditional health systems.

Under the new draft regulations announced late tonight, the companies can’t claim that their nutraceuticals and health supplement products are for therapeutic and curative purposes.

“Every package of food or health supplements shall carry the words FOOD or HEALTH SUPPLEMENT... the term –NOT FOR MEDICINAL USE– shall be prominently written on the label,” as per a draft order issued by FSSAI, which recently created a flutter by banning the popular Maggi noodles.

Food Safety Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has also proposed the maximum usage levels for cow’s milk, buffalo’s milk, camel’s milk, ghee, curd, butter, honey, gold, gold foil, silver, pearl in <g data-gr-id="30">ayurveda</g>, <g data-gr-id="31">siddha</g> and <g data-gr-id="32">unani</g> ingredients based products.

The limit has been fixed as maximum usage levels per day for use as a health or food supplements which are based on <g data-gr-id="23">ayurveda</g>, <g data-gr-id="24">siddha</g> and <g data-gr-id="25">unani</g>.

The regulator will finalise the safety norms after receiving comments from all stakeholders on the draft note.