Unauthorised electrolyte drinks remain available in the market in the absence of any measures to withdraw them, while the Bangladesh Food Safety Authority stated that it could not remove these drinks from the market without scientifically proven evidence that they were harmful to health.
That same authority, however, recently filed cases against eight companies for unauthorised production, sales and marketing, and deceptive advertisements regarding their health benefits.
The Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution, meanwhile, has set and published a set of standards for electrolyte drinks.
Physicians and nutritionists have, meanwhile, expressed concern about unauthorised electrolyte products available in the market as consumption of these products could lead to muscle weakness, kidney complications and heart attacks as electrolyte drinks were suggested for specific health conditions.聽
When asked about the removal of unauthorised electrolyte drinks from the market, Zakaria, chair of the Bangladesh Food Safety Authority, clarified, 鈥楴o court order has mandated the withdrawal of the products from the market. Also, scientific evidence proving the product harmful to health is required for such action, and there is currently no research supporting that these drinks pose health risks.鈥�
The authority, however, did not initiate any research to determine whether or not the product was harmful to public health, he added.
Although the products have been available in the market since 2021, the issue drew attention when the Pure Food Court, having jurisdiction over the Dhaka North City Corporation area, on May 14 issued warrants for the arrest of top officials of seven companies over the unauthorised production, marketing and sales of the electrolyte drinks and their advertisements with deceptive claims of health benefits.
At the time of the move by the Pure Food Court, the BSTI, in charge of controlling the standards of goods and services, did not have any set standards for electrolyte drinks as such drinks were not in its list of products for compulsory certification.
Enamul Hoque, deputy director for agriculture and food at BSTI鈥檚 Standards Wing, told 抖阴精品 that in late June the institution developed and published a standard for electrolyte drinks.聽
He said that manufacturers could now apply for certification the process of which might take a month to complete.聽聽
Despite the Pure Food Court issued warrants for arrest and imposed fines against some of the company owners as they pleaded guilty, on May 20 it instructed the Food Safety Authority to only remove all SMC Plus electrolyte drinks from the market and consumers. No such directive was, however, given for other products facing the lawsuits.聽聽
The SMC Plus electrolyte drinks also remain in the market as 鈥楾he High Court has stayed the order to withdraw the product,鈥� said authority chair Zakaria.聽聽
The Dhaka South City Corporation鈥檚 food safety inspector Kamrul Hasan filed five cases against SMC Plus of Acme and SMC; Aktive+ of Pran; Bruvana of Bruvana Beverage Ltd; Recharge of Deshbandhu and Agami Company; and Turbo of Akij; and another case on June 4 against content creator Iftikhar Rafsan, also known as Rafsan the ChotoBhai, who is the owner of the electrolyte drinks brand 鈥楤LU鈥�.聽聽聽
The case document said that the companies marketed and sold the drinks through advertisements claiming false health benefits, such as the drinks cured dehydration and controlled low blood pressure, raising questions whether they were drugs or beverages.
Recent visits to the market found that beside the drinks of six brands facing legal proceedings, many other products, including Spark and state-owned Bangladesh Machine Tools Factory Ltd produced BMTF, are also available in the market in the absence of oversight.
Imported electrolyte drinks, including orange and apple flavoured Taaqa electrolyte juice imported by Route to Market International Ltd from Bhutan, have also been found to have flooded the market with the BSTI logo.
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University professor emeritus ABM Abdullah sounded warning against the consumption of the drinks without doctor鈥檚 advice as increased levels of potassium and sodium could lead to the collapse of the heart, kidney and liver.
The medicine expert, rather, suggested taking adequate safe drinking water and fresh food than consuming such drinks.
Electrolytes like sodium and potassium played a crucial role in balancing fluid levels in and outside cells, supporting muscle functionality and controlling blood pressure, said Md Saidul Arefin, a professor at the Institute of Nutrition and Food Science of Dhaka University.
He said that electrolyte drinks were generally consumed during episodes of dehydration, vomiting and diarrhoea causing fluid loss in the body.