Unauthorized Electrolyte Drinks Remain in Market Despite ConcernsUnauthorized Electrolyte Drinks Remain in Market Despite Concerns Electrolyte drinks that do not meet safety standards continue to be sold in Bangladesh due to a lack of scientific evidence of their harmfulness. The Bangladesh Food Safety Authority (BFSA) acknowledges the presence of these unauthorized beverages but maintains that it cannot remove them from the market without concrete proof. However, the BFSA has filed lawsuits against eight companies for illegally producing, marketing, and misleadingly advertising the health benefits of these drinks. The Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI) has also developed standards for electrolyte products. Doctors and nutritionists express concern over the potential risks of consuming these unregulated drinks, including muscle weakness, kidney issues, and heart attacks. They advise seeking medical consultation before using electrolyte drinks. BFSA Chairman Zakaria states that there is no legal mandate to remove these products from the market and that scientific evidence is lacking. However, the authority has not conducted any research to determine whether they pose health risks. The Pure Food Court has ordered the withdrawal of SMC Plus electrolyte drinks, but this decision has been suspended by the Supreme Court. Other electrolyte brands mentioned in lawsuits remain available. Investigations reveal that additional electrolyte products, including Spark and BMTF, are being sold without oversight. Imported brands with the BSTI logo are also found in the market. Medical experts warn against consuming these drinks without consulting a healthcare professional. Electrolyte drinks are intended for specific medical conditions, and excessive intake can lead to serious health complications.
Electrolyte drinks that are not allowed are still on the market, as long as no measures are taken to withdraw them from the market. The Bangladesh Food Safety Authority has stated that it cannot withdraw these drinks from the market without scientifically proven evidence that they are harmful to health.
However, the same authority recently filed lawsuits against eight companies for unauthorized production, sales and marketing, and misleading advertising about the health benefits of these products.
Meanwhile, the Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution has developed and published a series of standards for electrolyte drinks.
Meanwhile, doctors and nutritionists have raised concerns about the unauthorized electrolyte products available on the market. Consumption of these products can lead to muscle weakness, kidney problems and heart attacks. Electrolyte drinks are recommended for specific health conditions.
When asked about removing unauthorized electrolyte drinks from the market, Zakaria, chairman of the Bangladesh Food Safety Authority, clarified: “There is no court order to remove the products from the market. Also, there needs to be scientific evidence that the product is harmful to health, and there is currently no research to support that these drinks pose health risks.”
However, the authority has not conducted any research to determine whether the product is harmful to public health, he added.
Although the products have been on the market since 2021, the issue came into focus when the Pure Food Court, which has jurisdiction over the Dhaka North City Corporation area, on May 14 issued arrest warrants against top executives of seven companies for the unauthorized production, marketing and sale of the electrolyte drinks and their advertisements with misleading claims about health benefits.
At the time of the Pure Food Court’s move, the BSTI, which is responsible for monitoring standards for goods and services, had no established standards for electrolyte drinks, as such drinks were not on the list of products that were required to be certified.
Enamul Hoque, deputy director for agriculture and food at the Standards Wing of BSTI, told New Age that the body developed and published a standard for electrolyte drinks in late June.
He said manufacturers can now apply for certification, but the process could take up to a month.
Despite issuing arrest warrants and imposing fines on some of the business owners who pleaded guilty, the Pure Food Court on May 20 ordered the Food Safety Authority to withdraw only all SMC Plus electrolyte drinks from the market and consumers. However, no such directive was issued for other products involved in the lawsuits.
SMC Plus electrolyte drinks will also remain on the market as “the Supreme Court has suspended the decision to withdraw the product,” said Zakaria, the authority’s chairman.
Dhaka South City Corporation Food Safety Inspector Kamrul Hasan has filed five cases against Acme and SMC’s SMC Plus; Pran’s Aktive+; Bruvana Beverage Ltd’s Bruvana; Deshbandhu’s Recharge and Agami Company; and Akij’s Turbo; and another case on June 4 against content creator Iftikhar Rafsan, also known as Rafsan de ChotoBhai, the owner of electrolyte drink brand ‘BLU’.
The court document states that the companies marketed and sold the drinks through advertisements that falsely claimed they had health benefits, such as helping to combat dehydration and regulating low blood pressure. This raises questions about whether they were medicines or drinks.
Recent market visits have revealed that in addition to the six brands of beverages facing litigation, many other products, including Spark and BMTF produced by the state-run Bangladesh Machine Tools Factory Ltd., are also available on the market without any oversight.
Imported electrolyte drinks, including Taaqa electrolyte juice with orange and apple flavour, imported by Route to Market International Ltd of Bhutan, also appear to be flooding the market with the BSTI logo.
ABM Abdullah, professor emeritus at the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, warned against consuming these drinks without consulting a doctor as increased potassium and sodium levels can lead to heart, kidney and liver failure.
The drug expert, on the other hand, advised taking sufficient safe drinking water and fresh food instead of consuming such drinks.
Electrolytes such as sodium and potassium play a crucial role in balancing fluid levels inside and outside cells, supporting muscle function and regulating blood pressure, says Md Saidul Arefin, a professor at the Institute of Nutrition and Food Science, University of Dhaka.
He said electrolyte drinks are generally consumed during periods of dehydration, vomiting and diarrhea, which causes fluid loss in the body.
