{"id":69489,"date":"2025-10-18T11:11:32","date_gmt":"2025-10-18T05:41:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/?p=69489"},"modified":"2025-10-18T11:11:32","modified_gmt":"2025-10-18T05:41:32","slug":"fssai-bans-misleading-ors-labels-on-sugary-beverages","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/fssai-bans-misleading-ors-labels-on-sugary-beverages\/","title":{"rendered":"FSSAI Bans Misleading \u2018ORS\u2019 Labels on Sugary Beverages"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2><b>ORS Ban Latest News<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Following a Hyderabad-based paediatrician\u2019s campaign, the <\/span><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/fssai\/\" target=\"_blank\">Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI)<\/a><\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> has barred food companies from using the term <\/span><b>\u2018Oral Rehydration Salts\u2019 (ORS)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> on products that do not meet World Health Organisation (WHO) formulation standards.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The recent order also revokes all previous permissions allowing brands to use \u2018ORS\u2019 with disclaimers.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This move targets <\/span><b>sugar-rich beverages falsely marketed as ORS<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, ensuring that only scientifically compliant rehydration products can carry the label.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Oral Rehydration Salts<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Oral Rehydration Salts (ORS) is a scientifically formulated mixture of electrolytes and glucose designed to prevent and treat dehydration, especially from diarrhoea, vomiting, or heat-related illness.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It helps restore the body\u2019s lost fluids and salts effectively.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>Composition (WHO-Recommended Formula)<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to the <\/span><b>World Health Organisation (WHO)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, one litre of ORS solution should contain:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Sodium chloride:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> 2.6 g<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Potassium chloride:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> 1.5 g<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Sodium citrate:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> 2.9 g<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Dextrose (anhydrous glucose):<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> 13.5 g<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Total osmolarity:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> 245 mOsm\/L<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This precise ratio enables <\/span><b>optimal absorption of water and electrolytes<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> through the intestines.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>Mechanism<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">ORS works by utilizing glucose-mediated sodium absorption in the intestinal wall, which helps draw water back into the bloodstream, quickly reversing dehydration.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>Uses<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Treatment of dehydration caused by diarrhoea, cholera, and vomiting.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Used in heat exhaustion or severe fluid loss from illness or exertion.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Essential in child healthcare programs and emergency relief operations worldwide.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>Advantages<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Low-cost, easy-to-administer, and life-saving.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Can be prepared and used safely at home.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Recommended by WHO and UNICEF as the first-line treatment for dehydration.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>FSSAI\u2019s Clarification on Misleading Labelling<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Recently, FSSAI affirmed that <\/span><b>using \u2018ORS\u2019 in any product name<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u2014 including fruit-based or ready-to-drink beverages \u2014 <\/span><b>violates the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It said such labelling <\/span><b>\u201cmisleads consumers\u201d<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> through false and deceptive claims and breaches multiple provisions under food labelling regulations.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>Background: A Doctor\u2019s Decade-Long Campaign for Consumer Safety<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The order follows a ten-year campaign by Hyderabad-based paediatrician Dr. Sivaranjani Santosh, who exposed misleading marketing of sugary drinks sold as ORS.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In 2022, she filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) before the Telangana High Court, challenging these deceptive practices for not meeting WHO-prescribed electrolyte and glucose standards.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006: Ensuring Safe and Wholesome Food in India<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 is a comprehensive law that consolidated all existing food-related legislations in India and established the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Its primary goal is to ensure that all food available in the country is safe, hygienic, and of good quality, based on scientific standards governing manufacturing, storage, distribution, sale, and import.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>Key Functions and Provisions<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Consolidation of Food Laws &#8211; <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Act <\/span><b>merged multiple food regulations<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> under one umbrella, creating a <\/span><b>uniform framework<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for food safety management across the country.<\/span><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Establishment of FSSAI &#8211; <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It created the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) as a statutory body to: Set and enforce food standards; Oversee licensing and registration of food businesses; Ensure scientific development in food safety regulation.<\/span><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Single Point of Control &#8211; <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Act replaced India\u2019s <\/span><b>multi-departmental food regulation system<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> with a <\/span><b>single-line authority<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, empowering <\/span><b>FSSAI and state food safety authorities<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for enforcement and oversight.<\/span><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Standard Setting &#8211; <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">FSSAI sets <\/span><b>science-based standards<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for: Additives, contaminants, and pesticide residues; Nutritional requirements and safety limits; Labelling, packaging, and hygiene norms.<\/span><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Licensing and Registration &#8211; <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">All <\/span><b>food business operators (FBOs)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> must be <\/span><b>licensed or registered<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> under FSSAI based on their <\/span><b>scale and type of operation<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to ensure traceability and accountability.<\/span><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Enforcement Mechanisms &#8211; <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Act provides FSSAI and state authorities with powers to: Inspect, sample, and test food items; Seize and recall unsafe products; Impose penalties and prosecute violators.<\/span><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Consumer Protection &#8211; <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The law safeguards consumers through: Compensation for injury or death caused by unsafe food; Penalties for misleading advertisements or adulteration.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>Enforcement and Penalties<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Violations can lead to fines, imprisonment, license suspension, or product confiscation.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A dedicated adjudication and appeals system, including a Food Safety Appellate Tribunal, handles disputes and appeals efficiently.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Source:<\/b> <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehindu.com\/news\/cities\/Hyderabad\/hyderabad-paediatricians-eight-year-long-battle-leads-to-fssai-prohibiting-usage-of-ors-on-food-products\/article70170085.ece\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">TH<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/www.unicef.org\/supply\/oral-rehydration-salts-and-zinc\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">UNICEF<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/fssai.gov.in\/cms\/food-safety-and-standards-act-2006.php\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">FSSAI<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>FSSAI prohibits food brands from using \u2018ORS\u2019 on non-compliant drinks after a Hyderabad doctor\u2019s campaign, ensuring only WHO-approved rehydration products carry the label.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":18,"featured_media":69501,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[60,3312,22,1888],"class_list":{"0":"post-69489","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-upsc-mains-current-affairs","8":"tag-mains-articles","9":"tag-ors","10":"tag-upsc-current-affairs","11":"tag-upsc-mains-current-affair","12":"no-featured-image-padding"},"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/69489","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/18"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=69489"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/69489\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/69501"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=69489"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=69489"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=69489"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}