New norms proposed for health supplements, nutraceuticals

To ensure that health and food supplements and other such products are not sold as medicines, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has proposed new regulations.

The draft regulation — for food and health supplements, nutraceuticals, food for special dietary use, food for special medical purposes, functional and novel foods — has proposed permissible limits of various minerals, vitamins, plant or botanical-based ingredients, among others, in these products.

It also has proposed a list of food additives used in all these category of products, besides labelling norms. According to the draft, every package of food or health supplement must carry the words “Food” or “Health Supplement” and should prominently display “Not for Medicinal Use” on the label.

The draft also suggests that the manufacturers should give a disclaimer in the package that the food or health supplement should not be used as a substitute for a varied diet. The FSSAI has asked industry players to send their suggestions and objections to the draft notification.

For products such as nutraceutical foods or foods for special dietary purposes and medical purposes besides foods containing pre-biotic and pro-biotic ingredients, the various proposed norms include labelling norms for manufacturers to clearly indicate on the label that “this product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease”, besides information of recommended dosages, among others.