INDORE: Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is soon going to regulate health supplements as it has been observed that nearly 60-70 per cent such products in the market are fake.
Currently, there are no regulatory norms for approval or monitoring of dietary supplements, nutraceuticals, herbals and functional food, but food safety regulator had proposed draft regulations that will come into effect in a few months. Nutraceuticals are products that offer health as well as medicinal benefits, consisting of prevention and treatment of diseases. Nutraceuticals are categorised into functional food/beverages and dietary supplements.
"Nutraceuticals are gaining popularity but there is a lack of a solid regulatory framework which is crucial for medialcredibility. Researches have shown that due to lack of regulations most manufacturers are making false claims. Different stakeholders have raised the need for proper guidelines for manufacturing and marketing neutraceuticals, herbal and functional food," said Manish Swami, food safety officer in Indore.
Noting that nutraceuticals and dietary supplements industry has the potential to grow into a USD 12.2-billion industry in the next five years, Swami said that with proper regulation guidelines unregistered and unapproved products can be blocked and discarded.
FSSAI had set up a taskforce in May, 2013, which submitted its recommendations in April this year. Objections have been invited on draft regulations, which if unopposed will come into effect in coming months. Draft guidelines have come out in wake of policy makers raising voice that the FSSAI should come up with proper guidelines for manufacturing and marketing of neutraceuticals, herbal and functional food.
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