India’s food safety regulator, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, has directed food manufacturers to use only Ashwagandha roots and their extracts in products, explicitly prohibiting the use of leaves in any form.
The clarification comes after the regulator observed that some food business operators were incorporating Ashwagandha leaves and leaf extracts in health and nutraceutical products, which is not permitted under existing regulations.
Ashwagandha, a widely used herb in wellness formulations, is allowed in categories such as health supplements, nutraceuticals, and foods for special dietary and medical purposes. However, the regulator has now reiterated that only the root and its extracts can be used in these products.
“It is clarified that the use of Ashwagandha leaves in crude, extract, or any other form is not permitted under the regulations,” FSSAI said in its latest advisory.
The directive aligns with similar instructions issued by the Ministry of Ayush, which has also asked manufacturers of Ayurvedic and herbal products to restrict usage to Ashwagandha roots and their derivatives.
FSSAI has instructed state food safety commissioners and enforcement officials to maintain strict vigilance and ensure compliance across the industry.
The move signals tighter scrutiny of ingredient integrity in India’s fast-growing nutraceutical and functional foods segment, where botanical ingredients are increasingly being used in diverse formats.