FSSAI Orders Removal of '100% Fruit Juice' Claims in Advertising and Packaging

In a significant move to ensure transparency and accuracy in food labelling, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has issued a directive to all Food Business Operators (FBOs) to cease the use of "100% fruit juice" claims on labels and advertisements for reconstituted fruit juices. This directive comes as a response to the discovery that several FBOs have been inaccurately marketing reconstituted fruit juices as 100% fruit juice.

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The FSSAI's mandate requires immediate action from FBOs to amend their product labels and advertisements, with a deadline set for exhausting all existing pre-printed packaging materials by 1st September 2024. The authority's examination revealed that such claims do not comply with the Food Safety and Standards Advertising and Claims Regulations, 2018, which does not allow for a "100%" claim under conditions where water is the major ingredient, and the fruit content is present in limited concentrations or when the juice is made from water and fruit concentrates or pulp.

FBOs are now instructed to align with the standards for fruit juices as outlined under sub-regulation 2.3.6 of the Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards & Food Additives) Regulation, 2011. This includes accurately labelling reconstituted juices and mentioning any added nutritive sweeteners if they exceed 15 gm/kg, in which case the product should be labelled as "Sweetened juice".

The FSSAI's commitment to safeguarding public health is evident in its rigorous regulation and supervision of food safety standards across India. By enforcing these labelling requirements, the authority aims to eliminate misleading claims and ensure consumers are well-informed about the products they consume.