FSSAI has directed all food companies to remove the claims of ‘100% fruit juice’ from the labels and advertisements of their fruit juices with immediate effect. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has given this information by issuing a statement on Monday (June 3). Not only this, FSSAI has also directed all food companies to eliminate their existing pre-printed packaging materials before September 1, 2024. Food business operators are marketing fruit juice incorrectly FSSAI said, ‘We found that many food business operators (FBOs) are incorrectly marketing various types of reconstituted fruit juices and claiming that they are ‘100% fruit juice’. There is no provision for claiming ‘100%’ in Food Safety and Standards Regulations FSSAI further said, ‘After investigation, the food regulator has come to the conclusion that as per the Food Safety and Standards (Advertising and Claims) Regulations 2018, there is no provision for claiming ‘100%’. Companies are making fruit juice using water and fruit concentrate or pulp. The food regulator said that such claims are misleading. Especially in those conditions when the main ingredient of fruit juice is water. At the same time, the primary ingredient fruit is present in very limited quantity, for which the companies make ‘100%’ claims. However, companies are reconstituting fruit juice by using water and fruit concentrate or pulp. Food companies should mention the word ‘reconstituted’ in the ingredient list of juices As per the food law of India, it is mandatory for food companies to mention the word ‘reconstituted’ in the ingredient list next to the name of juices reconstituted from concentrate. Also, if the nutritive sweeteners are more than 15gm/kg, then the product must be labelled as ‘sweetened juice’.
