Names, claims, ingredients and advertisements of health supplements, protein powders, vitamins and nutraceutical products to be monitored
Disease-based names such as diabetes care, kidney care and liver detox, and misleading medical claims, prohibited
"Not for Medicinal Use" to be mandatory on every pack
Rules to apply on online platforms too; directions to remove non-compliant products
Accountability to be fixed from manufacturer to seller
Lucknow, November 2026 : The Uttar Pradesh Food Safety and Drug Administration (FSDA) has cracked down on companies that make claims of curing, preventing and controlling diseases in the name of health supplements and nutraceutical products. Along with the quality of protein powders, vitamin-mineral supplements, herbal products, probiotics, prebiotics and foods for special medical purposes, their names, packaging, labelling, advertising and health-related claims will now also be monitored. FSDA Commissioner Dr. Roshan Jacob has issued a detailed order directing all concerned businesses to strictly comply with the statutory provisions.
The scope of the order will extend beyond units located in Uttar Pradesh to manufacturers and importers from other states and Union Territories whose products are sold in the state. Brand owners, contract manufacturers, re-labellers, re-packers, distributors, wholesale and retail sellers and e-commerce platforms will also come under its ambit. The order clarifies that these products fall in the category of food items and cannot be presented as medicine or as an alternative to the treatment of disease.
Disease-based names and medical claims prohibited
FSDA's review found violations of prescribed dosage and Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA), unauthorised ingredients, misleading names, incorrect labelling, lack of scientific evidence, and disregard of manufacturing and marketing rules. As per the order, no food product can claim to diagnose, treat, prevent or cure any disease. Disease-based names such as "Diabetes Care", "Arthritis Care", "Kidney Care", "Liver Detox", "Cardio Care", "Thyroid Care", "Blood Sugar Control" and "Disease Management" will be prohibited.
Warnings and category mention mandatory on every pack
The prescribed category must be clearly mentioned on every product's packaging. Clear warnings must be given on the front and back principal display areas of packs of health supplements, nutraceuticals, foods for special dietary uses (FSDU), foods for special medical purposes (FSMP), probiotics and prebiotics. "Not for Medical Use" must be written in bold letters on every pack.
Products must state the names of active nutrients and their percentage contribution relative to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) RDA. In a basic health supplement, the quantity of any individual nutrient cannot exceed 100 percent of the RDA. A minimum of 15 percent of the RDA will be required for a general nutrient claim and 30 percent for a "high" or "rich" claim.
Use of substances on WADA's prohibited list banned
Substances on the prohibited list of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) cannot be used in special dietary products prepared for sportspersons. The use of drugs, hormones, steroids, narcotic and psychotropic substances in health supplements, nutraceuticals, FSDU, FSMP, probiotics and prebiotics will also be completely prohibited. In herbal products, only the plants and plant parts permitted under Schedule 4 of the regulation may be used.
Accountability from manufacturer to online platform
Manufacturers will have to maintain records of permitted ingredients and formulations, Batch Manufacturing Records (BMR), Batch Packaging Records (BPR), Certificates of Analysis (COA) of raw materials and finished products, purity, stability, shelf life, quality testing, Good Manufacturing Practices and batch-wise traceability. Re-labellers and re-packers must also ensure complete information on the labelling, nutritional information, claims and warnings of the final product, and on the original manufacturer and batch. They will not be able to arbitrarily change the product's category, composition or use.
Only the claims printed on the packaging may be made on the company's website, e-commerce portals, social media and advertisements. E-commerce platforms will have to take the necessary steps to remove non-compliant products and stop their sale.
Commissioner Dr. Roshan Jacob has directed all food business operators to review their products and business activities and ensure full compliance. No business operator will be able to escape its statutory obligation by shifting responsibility to another unit in the supply chain. In the interest of consumer safety and public health, all concerned entities will have to follow the directions.
