New Delhi: The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has issued notices to Nestle India and Zydus Wellness asking them to back up health claims made for infant formula and for the children’s drink Complan, Upstox reported. In a separate action, the regulator has also sent notices to four infant formula makers and an Instagram influencer over a social media post that ranked baby milk products.
The FSSAI notices were made public by the regulator on its social media accounts on Wednesday, 21 October, according to Medical Dialogues, and the news hit the shares of both listed companies on Thursday. A notice of this kind asks a company to explain itself. It is not a final finding that any law has been broken.
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What the FSSAI notices say about Complan
In the notice to Zydus Wellness, FSSAI flagged claims on the Complan label and online listing such as “2X Faster Growth”, “Supports Concentration and Memory” and “Pro Immunity+ 34 Vital Nutrients”, according to Upstox. The listing also showed images of two children.
The regulator said the claims were found to violate the Food Safety and Standards (Advertising and Claims) Regulations, 2018, and sought scientific justification for statements including “GROW TALLER, FASTER. CLINICALLY PROVEN 2X GROWTH”, Upstox reported. It directed the company to show cause within the set period as to why action should not be started under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
ET BrandEquity reported that the notice also covered an advertisement line, “Growth Comes in 4 Flavors”. Zydus Wellness had not issued a public response at the time of writing, based on the reports reviewed by Bharat Stories.
Questions over Nestle’s Lactogen and NAN labels
For Nestle India’s Lactogen Pro 1 powder, FSSAI asked for scientific proof of the claim that the product contains whey protein, described on the pack as “a part of milk protein that is easy to digest”, Upstox said. The regulator also raised concerns about the NAN Excella Pro Stage 1 label, which says “5 HMOs helps support normal immune system”. HMOs, or human milk oligosaccharides, are sugars found in breast milk.
Nestle India said it had already answered the regulator. “FSSAI’s recent post reiterates the points raised in its earlier post of 18 September regarding product labels. We have already submitted our detailed response to FSSAI on this matter,” a company spokesperson said, as quoted by news agency ANI and carried by Medical Dialogues and Storyboard18.
In its 18 September statement, Nestle India said its products were fully compliant with the rules and that NAN Excella Pro and Lactogen Pro, along with their labels, had been approved by an FSSAI expert committee, Medical Dialogues reported.
Influencer post and four formula makers
The second set of notices went to Abbott Healthcare, Nestle India, Nutricia International and Mead Johnson Nutrition (India), along with Instagram influencer Ira Fathima, Upstox reported. The regulator flagged an Instagram reel posted by Fathima that carried a “Top 5” list recommending infant formula products.
According to Just Food, the list included Abbott’s Similac Advance 1, Nutricia International’s Aptamil Premium 1 and Dexolac 1, Nestle India’s Nan Pro 1 and Enfamil A+ Stage 1 from Mead Johnson Nutrition, which is owned by Reckitt Benckiser.
FSSAI alleged that the promotion broke the Infant Milk Substitutes Act, 1992, as amended in 2003, and the Food Safety and Standards (Foods for Infant Nutrition) Regulations, 2020, which govern how such products may be advertised and marketed, Upstox reported.
Abbott said it had nothing to do with the reel. “The content was independently created and published by a third party without Abbott’s knowledge, involvement or authorisation,” the company said in a statement to Just Food. The publication said it had asked Mead Johnson Nutrition, Nestle, Nutricia International and Zydus Wellness for comment.
Shares fall to six month lows
Nestle India shares fell about 3.7 per cent on Thursday, 22 October, to Rs 1,187.10, their lowest level in more than six months, Moneycontrol reported. The stock had closed at Rs 1,223.90 in the previous session and touched an intraday low of Rs 1,184. It was the top loser on the Nifty FMCG index, which was down about 2 per cent at 42,910 around midday, the report said.
Zydus Wellness shares dropped more than 3 per cent to a low of Rs 475.10 against the previous close of Rs 492, according to Moneycontrol. The fall came after the regulator asked both companies for scientific proof behind their product claims.
Not the first action this season
The notices follow other recent steps by FSSAI on labels and claims. Storyboard18 reported that the regulator earlier sent a separate notice to Nestle India, Schreiber Dynamix Dairies and Lotus Dairy Products over Nescafe ready to drink products sold online. FSSAI noted that the front of the pack called them “Flavoured Milk” while the back described them as a dairy based drink, the report said.
afaqs also reported the notices to Nestle, Abbott and Zydus over product claims. In each case the regulator’s demand was the same: scientific proof to support the claims made in labels and advertisements, Moneycontrol reported.
What happens next
The companies must now reply to FSSAI within the time given in the notices. The regulator has not said what penalties, if any, it may seek, and it has not published a timeline for its decision. None of the reports reviewed by Bharat Stories said that any product had been ordered off shelves.
For readers following food rules and labels, Bharat Stories has more background. Read more about why food safety matters on World Food Safety Day, your rights as a buyer on National Consumers Day, and the basics of child and family nutrition during National Nutrition Week.
FAQ
Why did FSSAI send notices to Nestle India and Zydus Wellness?
FSSAI asked both companies to provide scientific proof for health claims on Lactogen Pro 1, NAN Excella Pro Stage 1 and Complan, and to show cause why action should not be taken, according to Upstox.
Has any product been banned?
No. The notices seek an explanation. No ban or recall had been reported as of 23 October 2026.
Sources
- Upstox, 22 October 2026: details of the Complan, Lactogen and NAN notices, the influencer notices and the laws cited.
- Moneycontrol, 22 October 2026: Nestle India and Zydus Wellness share prices.
- Medical Dialogues, 22 October 2026: Nestle India response and its 18 September statement.
- Just Food, 22 October 2026: the products in the influencer post, Mead Johnson ownership and Abbott statement.
- Storyboard18, 22 October 2026: Nestle India response and the earlier Nescafe labelling notice.
- afaqs, 22 October 2026: wider context on the notices.
- ET BrandEquity, 22 October 2026: Complan advertisement line.