After the pandemic of COVID-19 India has witnessed a surge in consumption of Nutraceuticals and Health Supplements products.
This has led to many malpractices in the manufacturing and sales of these products.
To curb the flow of non-compliant Nutraceuticals and Health Supplements products in the market, FSSAI has ordered a Special Enforcement Drive.
What’s in the order for an enforcement drive against non-compliant Nutraceuticals products and fake claims?
On 7th March 2023, FSSAI issued an advisory regarding special enforcement drives to check the compliance of Nutraceuticals and Health Supplements products.
This drive will be carried out to ensure compliance with the FSS (Health Supplements, Nutraceuticals, Food For Special Dietary Use, Food For Special Medical Purpose and Prebiotic and Probiotic Food) Regulations, 2022.
Also, this drive will check the marketing and sale of Nutraceuticals and Health Supplements products claiming false/misleading and exaggerated label/health claims in contravention of provisions of FSS ( Advertising and Claims ) Regulations, 2018
Read more: FSSAI Revised Application guidelines for Vegan Logo
Henceforth, the Food Authority Officers are asked to ensure compliance with the manufacturing and sale of these products and carry out enforcement drives in their respective jurisdictions.
What are the common non-compliance issues?
- Permissible Dosage – Several products are being found to exceed the permitted RDA.
- Contaminated Products – Nutraceuticals with the Veg logo were found to be containing Non-vegetarian ingredients.
- Mismatched Claim – Mismatch in the bioactive claim and the actual amount detected.
Conclusion
The special enforcement drive by FSSAI will help in numerous ways.
- Increase consumer trust in Nutraceuticals and Health Supplements products.
- Improve the quality of Nutraceuticals and Health Supplements products in the Indian market.
- This will push brands to be more cautious about their product line.
