FSSAI Directs FBOs to Remove ‘100% Fruit Juices’ Claim from Labels and Advertisements

GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 4th June. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has issued a directive requiring all Food Business Operators (FBOs) to immediately remove any claims of ‘100% fruit juices’ from the labels and advertisements of reconstituted fruit juices. Additionally, FBOs are instructed to use up all existing pre-printed packaging materials before 1st September 2024.

This directive follows FSSAI’s discovery that several FBOs have been inaccurately marketing various reconstituted fruit juices as ‘100% fruit juices’. Upon thorough examination, FSSAI concluded that under the Food Safety and Standards (Advertising and Claims) Regulations, 2018, such claims are misleading. The regulations do not provide for a ‘100%’ claim, especially when the major ingredient of the juice is water and the primary fruit ingredient is present only in limited concentrations, or when the juice is reconstituted using water and fruit concentrates or pulp.

The FSSAI clarified that FBOs must comply with the standards for fruit juices specified under sub-regulation 2.3.6 of the Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards & Food Additives) Regulation, 2011. According to this regulation, products must be labelled in accordance with the Food Safety and Standards (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020. Specifically, the ingredient list must include the word “reconstituted” next to the name of the juice that is reconstituted from concentrate. Moreover, if added nutritive sweeteners exceed 15 gm/kg, the product must be labelled as ‘Sweetened juice’.