FSSAI guidance on Food for Special Dietary Use for Sportsperson

FSSAI guidance on Food for Special Dietary Use for Sportsperson

Our country has become much more inclined towards staying fit and healthy than it was 20 years back. According to Euromonitor International, the world’s leading market research agency, the sports supplements market in India is worth 1,376 crores and it is expected to grow at 22.8% CAGR by 2023. Increasing consumer engagement in sport and physical exercise, supported by increasing interest in professional sports is set to provide an increasingly solid platform for the development of sports nutrition. However, the consumption of sports nutrition products is higher in the metro cities of India as people are more educated and inclined towards these products, and can afford them.

In a wake of the growing sports supplements market in India, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India has recently released a guidance document called Food for Special Dietary Use for Sportsperson. The guidance document is a collective effort of the national level to promote the use of dope-free food supplements and nutritional products for sportspersons. To uproot the menace of doping, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), introduced by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), is coordinating efforts in the fight against doping. In India, the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) ensures the implementation of the anti-doping program and working together with FSSAI with the objective of ensuring the availability of safe and dope-free dietary/nutritional products for sportspersons.

The document educates the sports fraternity, including sportspersons, sports nutritionists, health professionals, health coaches, and the general public on various types and forms of supplements available in the market, their selection criteria as per the requirement of the individual, right dosage, labelling and claims provisions allowed on the product, authenticity, traceability and the source of supplements. The document also classifies the types of supplements available in the market.

Classification

FSDU for Sportsperson can be broadly divided into the following categories:

  1. Carbohydrate-rich energy food products: products high in glycemic carbohydrates, essential before, during, and after exercise for providing energy and refueling glycogen storage.
  2. Carbohydrate-electrolyte fluids: Fluids providing carbohydrates as the major energy source and effective in maintaining or restoring hydration status.
  3. Protein and protein components: high protein and essential amino acid products ensuring the endogenous synthesis of proteins, muscle maintenance/gain, and glycogen synthesis when combined with carbohydrates.
  4. Enriched foods with supplements such as caffeine or creatine: some dietary ergogenic aids
  5. Enriched foods with vitamin and mineral supplements.

All the manufactures and importers of these products are required to comply with declaration mentions for labelling and claims of the products.

  • Logo of FSDU
  • Declaration like:
    • “For Sportsperson Only” and “for oral consumption only”
    • “the food is not a sole source of nutrition and should be consumed in conjunction with a nutritious diet’ for the article of food specially prepared for sportsperson”
    • “the product is not to be used by pregnant, nursing and lactating women or by infants, or children under 5 years, or elderly except when medically advised”
    • “Recommended to be used under medical advice or dietetic supervision only”
    • “the food should be used in conjunction with an appropriate physical training or exercise regime”
  • In case the products are sold online, visibility of the date of expiry/best before date must be clearly mentioned on the product. Tamper proof and tamper-evident packing.

Additionally, to ensure that the product does not contain any prohibited substances as per WADA, the manufacturers must conduct periodic testing (bi-annually) and maintain a Repository of Certificate of Analysis (COA’s) for ready reference. A declaration from the raw material vendor for ingredients going into the formulation as per WADA/NADA to be maintained along with the control samples. The manufacturers and importers of these categories of the product are required to remain up to date with product compliance in order to avoid non-compliance and enforcement.