Remove Bournvita from the Healthy Drinks Category: Big Order in the Center

Regulator says ‘health drink’ not yet defined in national food law

New Delhi:

The Ministry of Commerce and Industry has issued an advisory to e-commerce companies, directing them to remove all drinks and beverages, including Bournvita, from the “healthy beverages” category on their portals and platforms.

“The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), a statutory body established under Section (3) of the Commission for Protection of Child Rights (CPCR) Act, 2005, conducted an inquiry under Section 14 of the CRPC Act, 2005 and concluded that there was no basis for ‘Healthy beverages’ as defined in the FSS Act, 2006, FSSAI and Rules and Regulations submitted by Mondelez India Food Pvt Ltd,” the ministry said in a notification on April 10.

The advisory was issued following an investigation by the NCPCR which found that the sugar content of Bournvita was well above the acceptable limit.

Earlier, NCPCR had called on the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) to take action against companies that promote energy supplements as “health drinks” without meeting safety standards and guidelines.

It is worth noting that according to the regulator, “healthy drinks” are not yet defined in the country’s food laws and enacting certain contents under the law is a breach of regulations. The FSSAI earlier this month had also directed e-commerce portals not to label dairy or malt beverages as “healthy beverages”.

Controversy over the “unhealthy” nature of Bournvita first emerged after a YouTuber slammed the powder supplement in his video and informed that it contains excessive amounts of sugar, cocoa solids and harmful coloring agents that could cause serious health problems for children hazards, including cancer.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)