Six food companies have changed labels, trademarks or product listings after notices from India’s food safety regulator (FSSAI), adding to a series of enforcement actions this year focused on how packaged foods are described and marketed to consumers.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) said on August 16, 2026 that Food Business Operators had taken corrective measures over misleading claims, non-standardised products and labelling violations.
The cases involve everything from “healthy” and “vegan” claims to trademarks, product descriptions and an electrolyte drink.
Six Companies Change Course
The six companies identified by FSSAI are Honest Innovations For You Private Limited, Heliostone Specialities Private Limited, Rajasthan Agro and General Industries, Iota Nanotechnology Private Limited, Panchamrutha Industries Private Limited and Livyor Ventures Private Limited.
Livyor removed the words “vegan” and “healthy” from the label of its Roasted Edamame Beans. The company said the claims had been inadvertently printed because of a lack of awareness about applicable regulatory requirements. It also indicated that it was revising its packaging and addressing existing non-compliant packaging.
Honest Innovations For You and Heliostone Specialities changed trademarks after FSSAI found them misleading. Rajasthan Agro removed misleading claims and stopped using “ppm”, or parts per million, in its product-related communication.
Iota Nanotechnology removed misleading claims from its product label and stopped production of non-standardised water. Panchamrutha Industries, meanwhile, delisted its electrolyte drink from its website.
Health Claims Face Scrutiny
The latest cases matter because they concern the information consumers encounter before buying a product, including brand names, claims and descriptions on packaging.
FSSAI’s Labelling and Display Regulations require pre-packaged food not to be described or presented in a manner that is false, misleading or deceptive, or likely to create an erroneous impression about the product. Its Advertising and Claims Regulations similarly require food claims to be truthful, meaningful, unambiguous and not misleading.
That framework has become particularly relevant to health-oriented positioning. In June, FSSAI issued notices involving 15 food brands and businesses over names and claims including “healthy”, “organic” and “zero maida”. The products covered health supplements, breads, snacks, juices and organic foods.
The notices included brands such as Healthy Master, Healthy Choice, Health Aid, Emami’s Healthy & Tasty, The Health Factory and others. FSSAI questioned whether some names and claims could create an impression of superior health or nutrition that was not adequately supported.
More Notices In June
A separate FSSAI action reported on June 19 involved 14 food and beverage companies. The regulator flagged issues involving product claims, brand names, labelling and other consumer complaints.
Among the examples according to the Business Standard report was Pluckk’s “no added sugar” claim on a product containing 51% mango pulp and 49% sugar cane. FSSAI also questioned the “100 per cent Natural” and “Freshly Made” claims on MasterChow Foods’ ramen noodles, while it flagged the “Rich-in-Milk-Solids” claim on Ferrero India’s Kinder Joy-coated wafer biscuits.
The cases do not establish that all the companies violated the same rule. Rather, they show the range of issues that can attract regulatory scrutiny, from product claims and trademarks to labelling language and product standards.
Energy Drinks Add Pressure
The labelling push has also reached the beverage industry.
In July, FSSAI directed makers of high-caffeine beverages to stop using “energy drink” or similar descriptions. Reuters reported that the regulator’s position was based on the absence of an Indian standard defining “energy drinks” and concerns over associated claims. Companies were given 90 days to comply.
The decision has commercial implications for major brands including PepsiCo, Red Bull, Monster Beverage and Reliance. Reuters reported in August that the companies sought more time, including a one-year extension, but FSSAI declined to extend the 90-day deadline. Some states had already begun enforcement, including seizures of products carrying the disputed terminology.
What Brands Need To Watch
For food companies, the recent actions underline that regulatory compliance extends beyond ingredients and manufacturing processes. The words used on a packet, the name under which a product is sold and the claims used to position it can also come under scrutiny.
That makes substantiation and regulatory review important before packaging reaches production. A claim that appears commercially attractive may require changes if it creates an impression that regulators consider misleading or is not supported under applicable food standards.
For consumers, the immediate effect is potentially simpler product communication. For brands, however, the cases show that changing a label can involve more than rewriting a sentence. Companies may have to alter packaging, trademarks, online listings or product positioning.
The six corrective actions announced in August, following multiple rounds of notices earlier in the year, point to continued regulatory attention on how food products are represented in the Indian market. The emphasis is not on banning health-oriented marketing altogether, but on ensuring that claims and descriptions do not give consumers an inaccurate impression of what they are buying.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
Food labels are more than marketing tools. They shape how consumers understand what they are buying, especially when words such as “healthy”, “vegan” or “natural” influence perceptions.
FSSAI’s recent actions reinforce the importance of accurate, evidence-based claims while giving businesses an opportunity to strengthen compliance.
Regulatory scrutiny should remain transparent, proportionate and consistent, ensuring consumer protection without discouraging responsible innovation in India’s evolving food market.
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