In a move to combat misleading health claims and safeguard consumers, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has issued a directive banning the use of the term “ORS” (Oral Rehydration Solution) on food and beverage product labels, unless the product strictly follows the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) approved formulation.
The directive, dated October 14, overrides previous permissions granted in 2022 and 2024, which had allowed certain manufacturers to use “ORS” branding with disclaimers clarifying that the product was not WHO-compliant. Under the new order, all food business operators must remove the term “ORS” from their product labels, whether used on its own, as a prefix or suffix, or as part of a trademark, unless the product meets the specified formulation standards.
FSSAI writes to the all states/UTs Commissioners of Food Safety and all Central Licensing Authorities regarding all food business operators to remove the combination from their food products, whether used as a standalone term or in word "ORS" with any prefix/sufix or as part of… pic.twitter.com/mMVWOj5T0t
— ANI (@ANI) October 16, 2025
FSSAI has deemed the use of “ORS” on sugary drinks, electrolyte beverages, and similar products to be “false, deceptive, and misleading labelling,” in violation of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
In a clarification issued on October 15 following its October 14 directive, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) stated: “It is hereby clarified that, upon further review, the use of the term ‘ORS’ in any form, whether as part of a trademarked name or in the naming of any food product, including fruit-based, non-carbonated, or ready-to-drink beverages, even when accompanied by a prefix or suffix, constitutes a violation of the provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and the regulations framed under it.”
The notification stated: “All Food Business Operators are directed to remove the word ‘ORS’ from their food products, whether used as a standalone term, with any prefix or suffix, or as part of a trademark with such modifications, and ensure strict compliance with the labelling and advertising requirements under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and the regulations framed thereunder.”
This ban marks the conclusion of an eight-year advocacy campaign led by Hyderabad-based paediatrician Dr Sivaranjani Santosh, who has consistently raised concerns about the health risks posed by sugary drinks marketed as ORS, particularly for children suffering from diarrhoea. While many popular beverages branded as ORS include disclaimers advising use during diarrhoea, they do not meet the WHO’s approved formulation for treating dehydration caused by the illness. This has led to widespread confusion, with many patients unknowingly consuming ineffective alternatives instead of medically recommended ORS.
WHO-recommended ORS is a scientifically formulated therapeutic solution containing precise ratios of salts and glucose. Replacing it with high-sugar “electrolyte beverages” can actually exacerbate dehydration instead of alleviating it.
Under the new regulatory framework, beverage companies must either reformulate their products to strictly adhere to WHO standards in order to use the ORS label or eliminate the term entirely from their branding.
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