Ayurvedic & Nutraceutical Products: Quality Standards Every Brand Should Know

Ayurvedic & Nutraceutical Products: Quality Standards Every Brand Should Know

India’s wellness market is growing quickly, with consumers looking for Ayurvedic remedies, dietary supplements and functional nutrition. With growth comes scrutiny: regulators and consumers both expect these products to be safe, correctly labelled and consistent.

Know which category your product falls into

The first step is to classify your product correctly, because each category follows a different regulatory path in India:

Ayurvedic, Siddha and Unani products are regulated under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, with oversight from the Ministry of AYUSH and state licensing authorities.
Nutraceuticals and health supplements are regulated as foods by FSSAI under the Food Safety and Standards Act and its specific regulations for health supplements and nutraceuticals.
Cosmetics and personal care products follow the cosmetics rules under the Drugs and Cosmetics framework.

Getting the classification wrong can lead to licensing problems, label non-compliance and market withdrawals.

Quality practices that build trust

Authentic raw materials: correct botanical identification and supplier qualification for herbs and extracts.
Testing for contaminants: heavy metals, microbial load, pesticide residues and aflatoxins.
Standardised extracts: consistent marker compounds from batch to batch.
GMP manufacturing: clean facilities, documented processes and batch records.
Stability testing: data to support the shelf life on the label.

Labelling and claims

Health claims must be supported and must stay within what regulations allow for the product category. Avoid disease-cure claims on supplements, and make sure ingredients, dosage, warnings and licence details are clearly shown.