The Ministry of Commerce and Industry has asked all e-commerce companies to remove all drinks and beverages, including Bournvita, from the category of ‘health drinks’ from their sites and platforms.
“National Commission for Protection of Child Rights, a statutory body constituted under section (3) of the commission for Protection of Child Rights (CPCR) Act, 2005 after its inquiry under Section 14 of CPCR Act, 2005, concluded that there is no “Health Drink defined under FSS Act 2006, Rules and regulations as submitted by FSSAI and Mondelez India Food Pvt Ltd,” the ministry said a notification.
On April 2, FSSAI had asked all e-commerce companies to ensure proper assortment of food products sold on their websites.
The response from FSSAI came after it listed examples of food products licensed under ‘proprietary food’ along with the nearest category – dairy-based beverage mix, grain-based beverage mix, malt-based beverage – as ‘health drinks’ on e-commerce websites. ‘ was being sold under the category. Or ‘energy drink’.
FSSAI has clarified that the term ‘health drink’ is not defined or standardized anywhere under the FSS Act 2006 or the rules and regulations made thereunder.
“Therefore, FSSAI has asked all e-commerce companies to remove or de-link such beverages from the category of ‘Health Drinks/Energy Drinks’ on their websites. And by placing such products in the correct category, their wrong Improve classification immediately.
When did Bournvita come into limelight?
Bournvita came into limelight last April when influencer Rewant Himatsingka, who runs an Instagram page called FoodFarmer, posted a video. In which he claimed that every 100 grams of Bournvita contains 50 grams of sugar.
He said the brand claims its drink has many health benefits but it has high sugar levels.
