FSSAI flags several food brands for misleading claims, trade names
By Shalini Bhardwaj, New Delhi, June 14
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India has flagged several food products and brands for allegedly using misleading trade names and claims that may be in violation of food safety and labelling regulations.
According to an official release, the food regulator identified multiple products whose branding, trade names, or promotional claims could potentially mislead consumers regarding the nature, composition, certification or health benefits of the products.
Among the products flagged, FSSAI noted that the trade name "World of Organic" may create the impression that the products are certified organic despite lacking the required organic certification and endorsement.
Storia Juice Pomegranate- The claim misleads consumers by creating the impression that it is solely pomegranate juice, despite containing only 4% pomegranate juice concentrate.
Iota waterâ„¢ feels the difference -The claim regarding the addition of minerals in packaged drinking water is misleading; the existing regulations stipulate that "No product shall claim the term 'added nutrients', if such nutrients have been added merely to compensate the nutrients lost or removed during processing of the food."
Shine Organic- The trade name is likely to mislead consumers regarding the organic status of the products, as the products do not have NPOP/PGS certification, the FSSAI Jaivik Bharat logo, and the necessary organic endorsement.
Two Brothers Organic Farms- The trade name is likely to mislead consumers regarding the organic status of the products, as the products do not have NPOP/PGS certification, the FSSAI Jaivik Bharat logo, and the necessary organic endorsement.
Healthy Choice Healthy Food for Healthy Life, Poha - Trade name is likely to mislead consumers and appears to be in contravention of applicable FSSAI regulations
Emami Healthy & Tasty- Trade name is likely to mislead consumers and appears to be in contravention of applicable FSSAI regulations.
Health Aid® Trade name is likely to mislead consumers and appears to be in contravention of applicable FSSAI regulations.
The Health Factor Zero Maida Whole Wheat Bread - Trade name is likely to mislead consumers and appears to be in contravention of applicable FSSAI regulations, as the product contains Chakki Fresh Atta & Wheat Gluten.
The Health Factory Zero Maida Pizza Base - Trade name is likely to mislead consumers, while the claims "Zero Maidaâ„¢" and "Zero Maida Pizza Base" appear to be misleading and in violation of applicable FSSAI regulations.
Troovy The Healthy Mix Veggie Chips, The Healthy Ragi Chips, and The Healthy Moong Dal Chips - Trade name made misleading "Healthy" claims despite containing other ingredients.
Healthy Master & Vision to serve healthy - The brand names may mislead consumers regarding the nature of the product.
Neuherbs True Vitamin- The trade name is misleading and does not conform to the applicable regulations, as the term "True Vitamin" is neither defined nor recognised under the said regulations and may mislead consumers.
PLAN B Plant-Based Vegan - The trade name is likely to mislead consumers, as it creates the impression that the products are vegan; however, the products have not obtained prior approval of vegan food and vegan food endorsement in the FSSAI licence.
— ANI
Reader Comments
This is so frustrating! I specifically bought "Storia Juice Pomegranate" thinking it was pure pomegranate juice, and it's only 4%? That's practically just flavored water! 😡 How can companies get away with this for so long?
As someone who tries to eat healthy, this is alarming. I trusted brands like "Health Factory" and "Two Brothers Organic Farms" thinking they were genuinely good for my family. But now I'm questioning everything. FSSAI needs to keep up such actions regularly, not just once in a while. Also, why weren't these caught earlier? 🤔
While I appreciate the crackdown, I think it's a bit harsh on homegrown brands like "Two Brothers Organic Farms" and "Emami Healthy & Tasty". They provide affordable options to middle-class families like mine. Instead of banning names, FSSAI should help small businesses comply with proper labelling. Not everything needs to be so strict, yaar! 😅
Good move by FSSAI. I moved to India from the US a few years ago, and the sheer number of "healthy" and "organic" labels on products here is confusing. In the West, these terms have strict regulations. It's time Indian consumers get the same protection. "PLAN B Plant-Based Vegan" without proper certification is just greenwashing!
🙏 Finally some accountability! I'm a mother of two and always check labels, but these misleading trade names like "Healthy Choice" and "The Health Factor" make it impossible to know what's actually good. Also, "Iota water claiming added minerals" but just compensating
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.