According to a statement from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) all food firms have been directed to remove any reference to "100% fruit juices" from the labels and ads of reconstituted fruit juices immediately.
Additionally, it has requested that all businesses use up all of their pre-printed packaging supplies by September 1, 2024.
"It has come to the attention of FSSAI that several FBOs have been inaccurately marketing various types of reconstituted fruit juices by claiming them to be 100 percent fruit juices,".FSSAI
"Upon thorough examination, FSSAI has concluded that according to the Food Safety and Standards (Advertising and Claims) Regulations, 2018, there is no provision for making a ‘100 percent claim," it added.
These kinds of claims are deceptive, especially when the fruit juice's main component is water and the claimed primary ingredient is only present in trace amounts, or when the fruit juice is reconstituted with water and pulp or concentrates from other fruits, according to the food regulator.
Food firms are required by Indian food laws to include the term "reconstituted" next to the name of the juice that has been reconstituted from concentrate in the ingredient list.
Additionally, the product needs to be labeled as "sweetened juice" if the amount of nutritional sweeteners added exceeds 15 gm/kg.
(Input from various sources)
(Rehash/Priyanka Pandey/MSM)