NEW DELHI: The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) on Monday issued a directive requiring food business operators (FBOs) to eliminate mention of ‘100% fruit juices’ from labels and advertisements of reconstituted fruit juices.
This directive comes into immediate effect, with FBOs instructed to utilise their current pre-printed packaging materials 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% fruit juices. Upon examination, FSSAI has concluded that, as per the Food Safety and Standards (Advertising and Claims) Regulations, 2018, there is no provision for making ‘100%’ claim,” FSSAI said in a statement.
Such claims are misleading, particularly under conditions where the major ingredient of the fruit juice is water and the primary ingredient, for which the claim is made, is present only in limited concentrations, or when the fruit juice is reconstituted using water and fruit concentrates or pulp, it added.
The FSSAI has emphasised the adherence of FBOs to the standards outlined in sub-regulation 2.3.6 of the Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards & Food Additives) Regulation, 2011 regarding the marketing of reconstituted fruit juices as ‘100% fruit juices’. FBOs are reminded to label products in line with the Food Safety and Standards (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020, including the mention of “reconstituted” in the ingredient list for juices made from concentrate.