In an enormous blow to health drink manufacturers, the Central Government instructed all of the e-commerce websites to take away all of the so-called drinks and drinks, together with the well-known milk complement Bournvita, from the ‘healthy drinks’ class.

The order was issued by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry following an inquiry performed by the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), which concluded that there isn’t a well being drink outlined underneath the FSS Act 2006.

“National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), a statutory physique constituted underneath Section (3) of the Commission of Protection of Child Rights (CPCR) Act, 2005 after its inquiry underneath Section 14 of CRPC Act 2005 concluded that there isn’t a ‘health drink’ outlined underneath FSS Act 2006, guidelines and laws submitted by FSSAI and Mondelez India Food Pvt Ltd,” the ministry mentioned in a notification, dated April 10.

The investigation also found that Bournvita contains sugar levels, much above the acceptable limits.

Notably, as per the regulatory body, ‘health drink’ has not been defined in the country’s food laws and to project something under the same violates the rules.

The FSSAI, earlier this month, also instructed e-commerce portals against labelling diary-based or malt-based beverages as ‘health drinks’.

Earlier, the NCPCR had called upon the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) to initiate action against the companies that failed to meet safety standards and guidelines and were projecting power supplements as ‘health drinks’.

(With IANS inputs)