Products promising ‘miracles’ under Food and Drug Administration (FDA) radar

Pune: There are many products that offer miracle benefits. From powders that help shed weight when mixed with milk to oils that claim to enhance immunity, these products are available in plenty. The Food and Drug Administration has tested 15 such ‘health products’ for misleading customers with false claims.

Of the 15 products tested, six are in the genre of edible oils and coconut oils meant for massage. Many of them did not have a logo or were not marked vegetarian or non-vegetarian.

The oil brand Proslim by Hello India, manufactured at Haridwar, is supposed to be used for cooking and claims to be good for the heart andreduce weight. Sun flower oil by M/s Kargil foods Private Limited at Kurbumbh claims to cut fat and coconut oil by M/s K LF Nirmal Pvt Ltd in Ichipali also claims to do the same.

Shashikant Kekare, joint co-mmissioner (food) FDA, said, “Under the Food Safety and Standard Act, section 24, which speaks about restrictions on advertisements and prohibition of unfair practices, we are scanning products which claim that after consumption there are guaranteed results. Section 53 talks about penalty for misleading advertisements. This means that if any person who publishes or is a party to the publication of an advertisement of falsely describing any food is likely to mislead as to the nature or substance or quality of the said food. We are liable to penalise up to Rs 10 lakh if guilty of misrepresentation.”

Dilip Sangat, assistant commissioner (Food), FDA said, “The tested sample reports claim they are not harmful but there is no indication of benefits. We have invited the said companies to challenge us with test results.”