FSSAI Mandates WHO Approval for All Products Labelled as Oral Rehydration Salts (ORS)

ORS is mixture of salt, sugar that is dissolved in clean water to treat dehydration. (AI-generated image)

New Delhi:

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has announced that only products with World Health Organization (WHO) approval can be labelled as Oral Rehydration Salts (ORS).

This directive was officially issued by FSSAI on Tuesday.

ORS, according to UNICEF (United Nations Children's Fund), consists of a specific mixture of salt and sugar dissolved in clean water. It's designed to treat dehydration resulting from severe diarrhoea, heat stroke, or other conditions causing significant fluid loss.

ORS serves as a highly effective treatment particularly for childhood diarrhoea. Healthline, an American health media platform, advises that ORS should generally only be used under medical prescription.

Improper use of the solution can potentially lead to dangerous salt toxicity.

Previous regulatory orders from July 14, 2022, and February 2, 2024, had permitted the term "ORS" to be incorporated into brand names as either a prefix or suffix.

Until this new directive, "ORS" terminology appeared in brand names across various products including fruit-based beverages, non-carbonated drinks, and ready-to-drink options.

This practice was allowed provided the products carried a specific warning stating: "The product is not an ORS formula as recommended by the WHO."

These previous regulations have now been officially revoked.

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A post shared by Dr Sivaranjani Santosh (@drsivaranjanionline)

Pediatrician Dr Sivaranjani Santosh endorsed the government's decision on Instagram, stating: "No one can use ORS on their label unless it is a WHO-recommended formula, and no one can sell it right from today."

Dr Santosh, who has actively campaigned against incorrectly labelled ORS products, expressed gratitude: "Thanks to each and every parent, doctor, paediatrician, child, teacher, journalist, advocate, anchor, celebrity, podcaster, influencer, educator, and everyone who stood by me for this cause!"