**Executive Summary**
This document outlines the Government's response to a question regarding the misuse of the term "ORS" (Oral Rehydration Solution) on non-medical beverages. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has issued directions and advisories to enforce its order prohibiting the use of "ORS" on non-compliant beverages, and has taken action against Food Business Operators (FBOs) violating this order. The document also mentions the ongoing "Eat Right India" movement focused on food safety awareness. The FSSAI order was issued on October 14, 2025.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **FSSAI Mandate:**
* FSSAI is responsible for setting science-based food standards and regulating food manufacturing, storage, distribution, sale, and import.
* Enforcement of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 is a shared responsibility between Central and State Governments.
* **ORS Misuse Prohibition:**
* FSSAI issued directions on 15.10.2025 to Food Business Operators (FBOs) to remove "ORS" from non-compliant beverage product names and branding, effective immediately across all distribution channels, including e-commerce.
* Advisories have been issued to enforcement authorities to take regulatory action against FBOs using misleading "ORS" labels on non-carbonated, water-based, fruit-based, or ready-to-serve beverages.
* **Enforcement Actions:**
* A total of 87 notices, including improvement notices, suspension orders, and show-cause notices, have been issued to FBOs.
* **Awareness Initiatives:**
* The "Eat Right India" movement is being conducted to promote food safety nationwide, focusing on preventive and promotive healthcare.
* The movement is built on three core pillars: Eat Safe, Eat Healthcare, and Eat Sustainable.
**Impact Analysis**
**Stakeholder: Food Business Operators (FBOs)**
* **Impact:** FBOs are impacted by the prohibition of using the term "ORS" on non-compliant beverages and are subject to regulatory action for violations.
* **Action Required:** FBOs must remove the term "ORS" from product names and labels of beverages that do not meet the medically prescribed Oral Rehydration Solution standards, across all distribution channels.
**Stakeholder: Enforcement Authorities (State/UTs)**
* **Impact:** State and UT enforcement authorities are responsible for initiating regulatory action against FBOs violating the FSSAI order.
* **Action Required:** Initiate regulatory action against FBOs using misleading "ORS" labels on non-compliant beverages.
**Stakeholder: Consumers**
* **Impact:** Consumers are intended to benefit from the prevention of misleading product labeling and increased awareness of food safety.
* **Action Required:** Participate in awareness programs and become informed about food safety and hygiene through the "Eat Right India" initiative.
**Stakeholder: Retailers and Distributors**
* **Impact:** Retailers and distributors may need to remove and/or relabel items that do not comply with regulations.
* **Action Required:** Take steps to comply with the regulations put in place by FSSAI by properly identifying and relabeling beverages that do not comply with medically prescribed Oral Rehydration Solution standards.
Key Entities Referenced
Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI): The primary regulatory body mandated to lay down science-based standards for articles of food and to regulate their manufacture, storage, distribution, sale and import to ensure availability of safe and wholesome food for human consumption.
Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006: The act that empowers FSSAI to regulate food safety and standards in India, enforcement of which is a shared responsibility between the Central and State Governments.
Eat Right India: A movement led by FSSAI to bolster food safety across the nation with a focus on preventive and promotive healthcare.
Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS): A medically prescribed solution, the term "ORS" is being misused on non-medical beverages. FSSAI issued order prohibiting this use.
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare: The ministry to which the FSSAI answers, and under whose purview the policy lies.
GOVERNMENTOFINDIA
MINISTRYOFHEALTH ANDFAMILYWELFARE
DEPARTMENTOFHEALTH ANDFAMILYWELFARE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1352
TOBE ANSWERED ON6TH FEBRUARY,2026
MISUSEOFTHE TERM "ORS"ONNON-MEDICALBEVERAGE
1352. SHRI G KUMAR NAIK:
Will the Ministerof HEALTHANDFAMILYWELFAREbe pleasedtostate:
(a)whether the Government hastaken anyactiontoenforce the FoodSafetyand Standards
Authority of India (FSSAI) order dated 14th October, 2025 prohibiting the use of the term
“ORS” on beverages that do not conform to medically prescribed Oral Rehydration Solution
standards andif so, the detailsthereof;
(b) whether anyinspections, enforcement actionsor marketsurveillance driveshave been
conducted to identify and remove non-compliant high-sugar drinks, such as “ORSL” and
similar products, from retail outletsandpharmaciesandif so, the detailsthereof;
(c) the number of products found in violation of the said order andthe action taken against the
concernedmanufacturers, distributors andretailers; and
(d) whether the Government proposes toundertake anyawareness or educationalmeasures
for retailers, distributors and consumers to prevent the misleading sale of non-medical drinks
asORS,andif so, the timeline proposed for the same?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OFSTATE INTHE MINISTRYOFHEALTH ANDFAMILY
WELFARE
(SHRIPRATAPRAOJADHAV)
(a) to (d): Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is mandated to lay down
science based standards for articles of food and to regulate their manufacture, storage,
distribution, sale and import to ensure availability of safe and wholesome food for human
consumption. The implementation and enforcement of the Food Safety and Standards Act,
2006isa shared responsibility betweenthe Central andStateGovernments.FSSAI inexercise of its regulatoryoversight, hasissued directions on15.10.2025to all
the Food Business Operators (FBOs) for removal of such brand name / product name
containing word “Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS)” with immediate effect from all
distribution channelsaswell ase-commerce platforms.
Further, FSSAI and its Regional Offices through the State/UTs have also issued
advisories toallthe enforcementauthoritiestoinitiate regulatoryactionagainst such FBOsand
against misleading food labels using the term “ORS” on non-carbonated water-based
beverages/ Fruit based beverages/ Ready to serve/drink beverages, in accordance with the
provisions of the FoodSafetyand Standards(FSS)Act, 2006andRegulationsmade thereunder.
As of now, the total of 87 (eighty-seven) notices including improvement notices,
suspension orders andshow-cause noticeshave beenissued tosuch FBOs.
FSSAI is carrying out the ‘Eat Right India’ movement with aim to bolster food safety
across the nation with a focus on preventive and promotive healthcare. It is built on three
core pillars – Eat Safe, Eat Healthcare, and Eat Sustainable. Under Eat Right India initiative
different activities and programmes are being conducted to make people aware about food
safety andhygiene.
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