Food regulator FSSAI has given food business operators four more months, till December-end, to exhaust all pre-printed packaging materials claiming '100 per cent fruit juices' in their packaged products. The decision to extend the current deadline of August 31 has been taken following consultations with stakeholders.
In June, FSSAI had asked food business operators (FBOs) to immediately remove claims of 100 per cent fruit juices in advertisements as well as labels on packaged products, amid rising concerns over misleading claims.
Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) said in an advisory to FBOs that based on representations received from stakeholders, it has been decided to extend the deadline for using pre-printed packaging materials. The new deadline for utilising these materials is now December 31, 2024.
The regulator also said that products manufactured by FBOs before December 31, 2024 can be "sold in the market across all channels until the end of their shelf life." Initially, FBOs were instructed to exhaust all existing pre-printed packaging materials before September 1, 2024. In June, FSSAI had issued a directive mandating all FBOs to remove any claim of '100 per cent fruit juices' from the labels and advertisements of reconstituted fruit juices with an immediate effect.
FSSAI had come to know that several FBOs have been inaccurately marketing various types of reconstituted fruit juices by claiming them to be 100 per cent fruit juices.
