No ORS label on sugary drinks as city doc’s efforts come to fruition

The relentless efforts of a doctor from the city Dr Sivaranjani Santosh on the misuse of sugary drinks labelled as ORS, has paid off as the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has withdrawn the orders regarding 'usage of the term ORS’, along with brand names and also asked the brands not to prefix or suffix the term ORS in their products.

The FSSAI has not only issued orders withdrawing the earlier orders but also issued clarification. The clarification issued by FSSAI said, “It is hereby clarified that, upon further review, the use of term 'ORS' (Oral Rehydration Solution ) in the trademarked name or in the naming of any food product otherwise-whether fruit-based, non-carbonated, or ready to drink beverages- even when accompanied by a prefix or suffix, constitutes violation of the provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and the regulations made there under.”

The FSSAI has said that such practices are misleading to consumers by way of false, deceptive, ambiguous, and erroneous names/labels declarations and are in contravention of section 23 and 24 of the Food Safety and Standards (labelling and display) regulations, 2020.

Accordingly, the aforementioned orders dated July 14, 2022 and February 2, 2024 stand withdrawn with immediate effect. The 'direction under section 16(5) regarding misleading advertisement and marketing of ORs substitute products dated April 8, 2022 shall remain in effect.

Dr Sivaranjani Santosh had taken on the companies, which were selling sugary drinks in the name of ORS. As per the WHO, the ORS should have a total osmolarity of 245 milliosmoles per litre. (mOsm/L) and a glucose level of 1.35 grams per 100ml(13.5 grams per litre) . The amount of glucose in the WHO recommended ORS is exactly enough to take sodium in the ORS into the body. If any liquid has more than 1.35 gm glucose per 100 ml of solution, it will pull water into the gut and worsens the diarrhoea, said Dr Dr Sivaranjani.

Responding to the orders, Dr Sivaranjani Santosh said, “We have won it! A clarification was issued today! No one can use ORS on their label unless it is a WHO recommended formula and no one can sell it right from today!