How does the FSSAI define food with added prebiotics?
Foods with added prebiotics are defined under the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) as “foods that contain prebiotic substances that specifically promote the activity and growth of the good bacteria already found in the human gut to improve health and wellbeing.”
Prebiotics are typically non-digestible carbohydrates that pass through the small intestine undigested and enter the colon, where the gut bacteria ferment them.
Regulations:
Food containing prebiotics should mention the following information on the product label-
the term ‘Prebiotic Food’,
the name of the prebiotic,
the recommended or suggested serving size that will serve the effective dose of the prebiotic according to the health claim,
a warning labelled ‘NOT FOR MEDICINAL USE’, and
any warning or precautions to be exercised while consuming the products, any side effects, complications or possible interactions with other medications, if there are any [1].