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What is Tea: The food regulator has issued a strong warning to sellers of flavored tea. FSSAI has said that only beverages made from real tea leaves can be called tea.
If you are fond of different types of tea, first find out if it is actually tea. To clear this confusion, the Food and Drug Administration of India has provided a precise definition of tea. It has also issued a stern warning to businesses and companies that sell anything under the guise of tea. The food regulator has said that only beverages made from real tea leaves will be considered tea. He also warned that now serving nonsense in the name of tea would be considered as misbranding and misleading the customers.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has issued a stern warning to food business operators that any herbal or plant-based beverage, unless it is made from the original tea plant ‘Camellia sinensis’, cannot be sold as ‘tea’. In its directive, FSSAI said such products will be considered misbranded and misleading to consumers, and businesses and food service providers may face action for such actions.
According to FSSAI, many food businesses are marketing products like ‘rooibos tea’, ‘herbal tea’ and ‘flower tea’, even though these are not derived from the actual tea plant. According to the regulations, the word “tea” can only be used to describe beverages made from the Camellia sinensis plant. This includes products like green tea, Kangra tea, and instant tea. FSSAI clearly stated that herbs or plant-based compounds that are not made from the actual tea plant cannot be called ‘tea’.
FSSAI said that violation of this rule comes under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. It has been made mandatory for all Food Business Operators (FBOs) involved in manufacturing, packing, distribution, import or sale of food products to comply with these food safety norms. The authority said that all FBOs are directed not to use the word ‘tea’ directly or indirectly on any product if it is not made from the Camellia sinensis plant. The Food Safety Authority has also directed state officials that all Ensure strict compliance of these rules by FBOs, including online and offline sellers.
The government has defined the tea, before drinking, know whether it is real or fake, companies are misleading