FSSAI action on alkaline water for fulvic acid in Gujarat

India?s food safety regulator announced action against a Gujarat-based alkaline water manufacturer after laboratory tests found ?black particles?, sediments and fulvic acid ? an ingredient not permitted in packaged drinking water under current regulations ? raising fresh concerns over the booming wellness beverage market.

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) on Thursday said it seized stocks worth nearly Rs 31.61 lakh from the Vadodara-based company following a complaint and subsequent investigation.

While the regulator stopped short of naming the brand, officials described a series of violations that included misleading packaging information, contradictory labelling and the presence of unexplained ?blackish-brown coloration?.

The case has suddenly thrust fulvic acid into the spotlight ? a naturally occurring compound found in soil and organic matter that is increasingly being marketed in wellness supplements, detox products and so-called ?black alkaline water?.

According to the FSSAI, the investigation began after a consumer complaint triggered technical scrutiny of the product. Officials found sediments and black particles in the packaged water, while laboratory analysis later confirmed the presence of fulvic acid.

?Investigations established that this ingredient originated from the addition of black mineral substances and was not inherent to the raw or processed water, confirming a clear violation of established safety standards,? the regulator said.

FSSAI added that formal proceedings have now been initiated under the Food Safety and Standards (FSS) Act, 2006.

The controversy comes at a time when alkaline and



mineral-infused waters are gaining popularity among urban consumers seeking ?functional beverages? marketed as healthier alternatives to ordinary packaged water.

Black alkaline water in particular has carved out a niche in the fitness and celebrity wellness market, often promoted for its claimed antioxidant and detoxification benefits.

But experts say the issue in the current case may not necessarily be about toxicity - rather, about how the product was classified and sold.

?The recent issue appears to stem more from product classification and labelling rather than the ingredient itself being unsafe,? said Dr Saurabh Arora, managing director of Auriga Research, a contract research organization and testing lab that offers inspection, training, and certification services.

?The sample that was picked up was labelled as ?water?, whereas the product was actually a form of alkaline black water containing added functional ingredients such as fulvic acid,? he explained.

Under Indian law, once a product is sold as packaged drinking water, it must comply with Bureau of Indian Standards specifications such as IS 14543 for packaged drinking water and IS 13428 for packaged mineral water. Those norms prohibit suspended particles, sediments and unauthorised additives.

?In this particular case, the presence of fulvic acid appears to have resulted in the sample failing regulatory requirements because fulvic acid is not permitted under the packaged drinking water category,? Arora said.

He added that products containing functional or herbal ingredients should instead be classified under the nutraceutical category rather than marketed as conventional water.