NEW DELHI: As health-conscious consumers increasingly look for products marketed as “healthy”, “organic” and “zero maida”, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has turned the spotlight on food branding, issuing notices to several food business operators over claims and trade names that it says could mislead consumers.The notices — covering more than a dozen products and trade names — it said were issued for “violating of provisions of Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, regarding misleading brand names, trade names, and product claims”. The regulator has directed food business operators to strictly comply with labelling and display regulations aimed at preventing consumer deception.The action reflects growing regulatory scrutiny of health, nutrition and ingredient-based marketing claims.As per a list shared on X by FSSAI, among the products flagged were The Health Factory’s “Zero Maida” Whole Wheat Bread and “Zero Maida” Pizza Base. FSSAI said the trade names and associated claims were likely to mislead consumers and appeared to be in contravention of applicable regulations.The regulator also objected to health-focused branding on products such as Troovy’s “Healthy Mix Veggie Chips”, “Healthy Ragi Chips” and “Healthy Moong Dal Chips”, as well as brands including “Healthy Choice Healthy Food for Healthy Life Poha”; Emami’s “Healthy & Tasty”; “Health Aid”; and “Healthy Master” and “Vision to Serve Healthy”, the post showed. Such trade names may create a misleading impression regarding the nature or health attributes of the products, the regulator said.FSSAI also issued a notice to Neuherbs True Vitamin, saying the term “True Vitamin” is neither defined nor recognised under applicable regulations and may mislead consumers, according to the post. It flagged PLAN B Plant Based Vegan, saying the trade name could create the impression that the products are vegan despite lacking prior approval for vegan food endorsement in its FSSAI licence.Flagging brands Organic Wisdom, Shine Organic, Two Brothers Organic Farms and World of Organic, the rgoulator in the post said the products lacked the certifications and endorsements required to substantiate organic claims.The regulator also raised concerns over ingredient-related claims. It issued a notice to Storia Juice Pomegranate, saying the branding could create the impression that the product is pomegranate juice despite containing only 4% pomegranate juice concentrate.Similarly, FSSAI objected to claims made by packaged drinking water brand Iota Water regarding the addition of minerals. The regulator cited existing regulations stating that products cannot claim “added nutrients” when nutrients have merely been added to compensate for losses during processing, as per the post.
