FSSAI issues norms for nutraceuticals, Ayurveda-based products

For the first time, Food safety regulator FSSAI released the draft safety norms for nutraceuticals, health supplements and products containing ingredients based on Ayurveda and Unani. In the draft order is mentioned that companies can’t claim that nutraceuticals and health supplement products be used for therapeutic and curative purposes. Every package of food or health supplements shall carry the words FOOD or HEALTH SUPPLEMENT and the term ‘NOT FOR MEDICINAL USE’ shall be prominently written on the label. Food Safety Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has also proposed the maximum usage levels for cow’s milk, buffalo’s milk, camel’s milk, ghee, curd, butter, honey, gold, gold foil, silver, pearl in Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani ingredients based products. The limit has been fixed as maximum usage levels per day for use as a health or food supplements which are based on Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani. The regulator will finalize the safety norms after receiving comments from all stakeholders on the draft note. The order also said that the benefits of specialty foods containing ingredients based on Ayurveda, Unani and Siddha and other traditional health systems of India, should be shown by science based evidence. The industry body Assocham released a knowledge paper in which it is stated that about 60-70% supplements in the nutraceuticals market, which has potential to grow to US $12.2 billion in the next five years are fake and such unregistered and unapproved products should be recalled. India accounts for 1.5% of the global nutraceuticals market. Heinz, Kellogg’s, Nestle, Hormel, Unilever, Johnson & Johnson and GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals are key players in this segment.

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