The Food Safety Standard Authority of India (FSSAI) has urged the food commissioners of all states and UTs to carry out a special drive to check nutraceuticals and health supplements for quality and safety throughout their manufacturing and sale processes. At the same time, the regulator has directed all food commissioners to submit their action-taken reports by March 31.
Actually, FSSAI had received complaints about a large number of health supplements being sold in the markets that were not compliant with the provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act (health supplements, nutraceuticals, foods for special dietary use, foods for special medical purposes, prebiotics, and probiotics) Regulations 2022.
Inoshi Sharma, executive director, of regulatory compliance at FSSAI, said that these supplements are being marketed with false, misleading, and exaggerated health label claims. Unsafe food supplements are completely unfit for consumption. Health experts say dietary supplements have been in very high demand over the last few decades all over the world, including India. In competitive sports, muscle-building and proper toning of the body attract many users, mostly young men, to protein and other food supplements. However, in the name of “dietary supplements”, many of these products adversely impact the kidneys, liver, and other organs and functions.
Food or health supplements are regulated under Nutra regulations, with separate specifications for athletes. The Indian dietary supplement market is expected to grow to ₹84,790 crores by 2027 from ₹37,630 crores in 2021, according to market research firm IMARC Group.