The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has announced the immediate and complete ban on the use of the term “ORS” (Oral Rehydration Salts) in the branding or naming of any food product, including in combination with prefixes, suffixes, or as part of a trademark.
This new clarification, issued in continuation of an order dated October 14, 2025, reverses FSSAI’s earlier stance that had temporarily allowed the use of the term ORS as part of a trademark, provided it was accompanied by the mandatory warning: “The product is NOT an ORS formula as recommended by WHO.”
The FSSAI has declared that even with a disclaimer, the use of the term “ORS” on food labels is misleading to consumers and constitutes a violation of the Food Safety and Standards (FSS) Act, 2006.
Strict Compliance Mandated
The FSSAI explicitly directed all Food Business Operators (FBOs) to immediately remove the word “ORS” from their food products. This applies whether the product is fruit-based, non-carbonated, or a ready-to-drink beverage, and whether the term is used:
- As a standalone term.
- In combination with any prefix/suffix (e.g., ORS-Lite, ORS-Cool).
- As part of the trademark or product name.
The Authority stated that such practices mislead consumers with “false, deceptive, ambiguous, and erroneous names/label declarations,” resulting in products being classified as misbranded and misleading, which is punishable under Sections 52 and 53 of the FSS Act, 2006.
The previous FSSAI orders dated July 14, 2022, and February 2, 2024, which had permitted the use of the term with the disclaimer, are now withdrawn with immediate effect. However, a previous directive dated April 8, 2022, regarding misleading advertisements and marketing of ORS substitute products remains in effect.