Nestle, Zydus, Abbott face India scrutiny over claims on children's products

By BENGALURU: India's food safety regulator issued notices to Nestle India, Zydus Wellness, Abbott Healthcare and others ​on Wednesday over promotional claims involving products for infants and children ‌that it said breached rules. Nestle India flags food, commodity inflation after profit surges 36% The action comes days after the regulator proposed banning the addition of sucrose and fructose to foods for infants up to six months old, as ​India steps up scrutiny of food safety and pushes for front-of-pack ​warning labels, rattling the country's more than $100 billion packaged food ⁠industry. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India said it issued notices ​over products including Complan, Lactogen Pro 1 Powder, NAN Excella Pro Stage 1 ​and infant milk substitutes. The regulator asked Nestle India to provide evidence supporting claims about digestive and immune-system benefits for its Lactogen Pro 1 Powder and NAN Excella Pro Stage ​1 infant formula products. Nestle India said FSSAI's latest post reiterated issues raised ​on September 18 concerning product labels, and that it had already submitted a detailed ‌response to ⁠the regulator. India's food regulator proposes ban on added sugars in infant foods Zydus Wellness was asked to provide scientific justification for claims promoting its Complan children's drink, including the tagline 'grow taller, faster. clinically proven 2X growth.' The company did not immediately respond to requests for comment outside regular business ​hours. FSSAI also issued ​notices to social ⁠media influencer Ira Fathima and companies including Abbott Healthcare and Nestle India over an Instagram reel promoting infant milk ​substitutes. An Abbott spokesperson said the company was not involved in ​or ⁠aware of the social media content referenced by the FSSAI notice and became aware of the content only after receiving the regulator's notice. 'Abbott does not endorse ⁠the claims ​or representations contained in the content,' the ​spokesperson said. The company added that it had shared this information with the regulator.