New Delhi: In a dramatic courtroom twist, the Delhi High Court has granted temporary relief to Johnson & Johnson subsidiary JNTL Consumer Health India, staying a stringent FSSAI directive that barred companies from labelling health drinks as “ORS” unless they strictly adhered to World Health Organization (WHO) standards.
The order, issued on October 24, allows the distribution of over 4 crore packets of the company’s products, averting a potential market shake-up.
The controversy erupted after paediatrician Dr Shivrani Santhosh from Hyderabad raised alarms over misleading packaging. Many brands, she argued, slapped “ORS” on sugary health drinks lacking the precise electrolyte-salt formula prescribed by WHO for dehydration relief in diarrhoea or vomiting cases. These concoctions often contained excess sugar — far beyond the recommended 5-6 teaspoons per litre of clean water mixed with a teaspoon of salt — and artificial sweeteners or colours, posing risks like blood sugar spikes, stomach aches, obesity, and worsened indigestion, especially for children and diabetics.
FSSAI’s recent mandate aimed to curb this, mandating WHO-compliant formulations for the label. Dr Santhosh’s multi-year advocacy led to the ban, but JNTL challenged it, claiming compliance. The court has paused enforcement pending a full hearing, balancing consumer safety with industry concerns.
AIIMS Delhi paediatrician Dr Himanshu Bhadani emphasised ORS’s life-saving role in paediatric emergencies but warned against high-sugar variants. “Always verify sugar content and expiry dates on trusted, standards-approved packets,” he advised.
This stay reignites debates on food labelling ethics, urging parents to scrutinise shelves amid rising dehydration cases in monsoon season.