FSSAI Imposes Strict Rules: Only WHO-Approved Products Can Use the Name ORS

In a major regulatory decision, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, FSSAI, has said no brand can label the term Oral Rehydration Salts or ORS, unless it is a recommended formula by the World

Health Organisation. The order, which was issued on October 14, imposes strict conditions on how the term could be used by Food Business Operators. “They can not only not use ORS, but they also cannot sell it from today, right now. No misleading products with ORS can be sold. We have won the battle. We have won it. They cannot sell them anymore,” an emotional Dr Sivaranjani Santosh, a pediatrician raising awareness about mislabeled brands, said on her Instagram. According to Dr. Santosh, ORS is a life-saving concoction with a very specific formula and works due to the presence of glucose, which helps your body absorb water and salt. If the formula gets changed, it will not work. Many brands across the country have been selling ORS solutions using ingredients that do not contain glucose – a key part of the formula – which helps the body pull in sodium and water from the intestines, especially during diarrhoea or dehydration. The first directive was issued in April 2022 by the FSSAI to curb misleading advertisements and marketing of products as “ORS substitutes.” The move was aimed at ensuring that consumers were not misled into believing that flavored drinks or electrolyte beverages were medically equivalent to the WHO-recommended ORS used for treating dehydration.

What is ORS?

ORS is a simple yet powerful mix of sugar, salt, and clean water used for treating dehydration that is caused mostly by diarrhoea, heat, or vomiting. According to doctors, it replaces lost fluids and minerals quickly. The WHO recommends a specific formula:

• Six teaspoons of sugar
• Half a teaspoon of salt
• Mixed in a liter of clean water

This simple mix can save lives—but only when made the right way. Using too much sugar or salt can make things worse. Also, using sugar substitutes or adding extra ingredients like fruit powders or spirulina stops the solution from working properly.

How to tell if the ORS is original or fake?

Here is how you can identify a WHO-promoted ORS from a fake one:

Always check the formula

Stick to the WHO-recommended mix of sugar, salt, and water, as specified on the packet

Avoid sugar substitutes

Ingredients like monk fruit sweetener or stevia don’t contain glucose and cannot help with rehydration.

Skip extra ingredients

Spirulina, fruit powders, or herbal mixes are not part of ORS and can mess up its effect.

Do not follow random influencers

Unless the advice comes from a certified doctor or medical expert, do not rely on it

Use ORS sachets

The safest option is to buy WHO-approved ORS sachets from a pharmacy. They are pre-measured and safe. While it may be easy to believe a quick video, reel, or even top brands selling any flavourful drink in the name of ORS, doctors advise that when it comes to your child’s health, it is always better to double-check.