The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has banned the use of the term “Oral Rehydration Salts” (ORS) or its abbreviation on any food or beverage product unless it strictly adheres to World Health Organization (WHO) standards. This directive, issued on October 14, also revoked previous permissions that allowed brands to use “ORS” with disclaimers, closing loopholes that misled consumers by equating sugary drinks with medicinal rehydration solutions.

The ban is credited to Hyderabad paediatrician Dr Sivaranjani Santosh, who campaigned for nearly a decade against the misuse of the ORS label, warning of risks to children and diabetics, reports Telegraph India.

The WHO-approved ORS formula balances salts and glucose to treat dehydration effectively, unlike many sugary market drinks that can worsen dehydration and cause salt toxicity. FSSAI now mandates strict compliance, warning food business operators that misleading labeling violates the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, with penalties up to Rs 10 lakh.