“No child will die now”: Hyderabad doctor’s 8-year fight makes FSSAI ban ORS tag on energy drinks

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has ordered all food business operators (FBOs) to immediately cease using the term "ORS" (Oral Rehydration Solution) in their labelling and advertisements, citing such practices as misleading to consumers.

The most recent order, which was issued on October 14, makes it clear that it is against the Food Safety and Standards Act of 2006 to use the term "ORS" in trademarked names or when naming any food product, even with a prefix or suffix.

The FSSAI's most recent guideline repeals previous orders issued in July 2022 and February 2024, which allowed the name 'ORS' to be used on food labels if accompanied by a warning saying that "the product is not an ORS formula as recommended by WHO".

After examining the problem, the regulator determined that such tactics were misleading to consumers through the use of "false, deceptive, ambiguous, and erroneous names/label declarations," and thus violated the Act.

According to the judgment, using the word would now be considered misbranded and deceptive, punishable under the FSSAI Act of 2006.

The FSSAI's move follows the persistent efforts of Hyderabad-based paediatrician Dr Sivaranjani Santosh, which ended in a successful conclusion.

The FSSAI has issued an order to all state and union territory food safety commissioners, as well as all central licensing bodies, requiring all FBOs to remove the term ORS from their food items.

Dr Sivaranjani Santosh told ANI that the directions are a "huge relief" because private enterprises have utilised the term ORS to deceive the public through false labelling and unethical marketing.

“It's a huge relief. That means now I know that no child will die, no adult will die because of worsening of diarrhoea, because of these drinks," she said.

She also mentioned how these drinks, which "wrongfully" utilise the word ORS, exacerbate diarrhoea.

"And here, people have labelled their high sugar drinks as ORS with a suffix or prefix. And for the past 14 years, they have been cheating the public, deceptive labelling, unethical marketing, pharmacies, hospitals, schools, everywhere,” Dr Santosh added.

Dr Santosh has been raising awareness for eight years about how numerous corporations market sugary drinks as ORS.