Short answer: Find the 14-digit FSSAI licence number and look it up on FSSAI's FoSCoS website. Check that the label says "HEALTH SUPPLEMENT" or "NUTRACEUTICAL" and "NOT FOR MEDICINAL USE". Then check it names the form and the elemental dose, with no disease claims.
Why are people asking this now?
On 4 October 2026, Business Standard reported that Maharashtra's Food and Drug Administration plans a wider check on supplements [1]. Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe said, "Products claim to contain an ingredient that is not actually there" [1].
Asked whether the drive would cover only labels or also test what is inside, he said it would cover "everything". That means content, consumption, prescription and selling [1].
It came a few weeks after another label story. On 18 September 2026, The Hindu reported that FSSAI, India's food regulator, had filed three cases against one of the country's biggest infant-food makers [2]. The cases were about claims on the packs, and one product was found short on a vitamin, biotin [2].
If regulators are worried about what is inside the pack, what about the supplement you ordered from an Instagram ad? That is a fair question. Here is how to check, step by step, in about ten minutes.
What does an FSSAI licence on a supplement actually mean?
In India, most supplements are sold as foods, not medicines. So the company that makes or sells them needs a licence or registration from FSSAI, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India.
Every FSSAI licence and registration number has 14 digits [3]. A licence number starts with 1, and a registration number starts with 2 [3]. Look for it printed on the pack.
Here is the catch. A licence tells you the business is registered with the regulator. It is not a stamp that says this bottle works, or that FSSAI tested what is inside it.
Think of it like a shop's trade licence. It tells you the shop is allowed to trade. It does not tell you the mangoes are sweet.
How do you check an FSSAI licence number online?
It takes two minutes, and you can do it on your phone.
- Find the 14-digit number on the pack. Take a photo so you do not mistype it.
- Go to FSSAI's official licensing portal, FoSCoS, at foscos.fssai.gov.in [3].
- Use the "FBO Search" option. FBO means food business operator, the legal name for any company that makes or sells food. FSSAI says this is how to check a licence is real and valid [3].
- Enter the number and see what comes up.
Now compare. Does the company name on the website match the name on the label? Does the address look right? Is the licence still active?
If the number is missing, has the wrong number of digits, or shows a different company, stop. That is a red flag.
One honest caveat. Some brands use a separate manufacturer, so you may see two names or numbers on the pack. That alone is not a problem. What matters is that each number is real and matches the name printed next to it.
What must a supplement label in India print?
Supplements in India follow FSSAI's Nutraceutical Regulations of 2022, which came into force on 1 April 2022 [4]. They set out words and details every pack must carry [4]. Look for these:
- The category, in capitals. Words like "HEALTH SUPPLEMENT" or "NUTRACEUTICAL", in bold [4].
- "NOT FOR MEDICINAL USE". In capital, bold letters [4].
- A varied-diet line. A statement that the product is not a substitute for a varied diet [4].
- The recommended daily use. Plus a warning not to go beyond it [4].
- A storage warning. That the product should be stored out of reach of children [4].
- Nutrient amounts per serving. Usually shown as a share of the recommended daily allowance, the amount an average adult needs each day [4].
A pack that skips several of these is not following the rules. That tells you something about how careful the company is with everything else.
What claims are not allowed on a supplement in India?
This is the one most people miss. Under the 2022 rules, a supplement's label, packaging and ads cannot claim to fix, stop or prevent any specific disease [4]. The only exception is a claim FSSAI has specifically allowed [4].
So watch for words that sound like a doctor's promise. "Reverses diabetes." "Ends PCOS." "Stops hair fall for good." "Replaces your thyroid tablet." A food product in India is not allowed to say these things [4].
Instagram reels and influencer captions often go further than the label does. The same rule covers ads [4]. If a brand's reels promise what its pack cannot, trust the pack less, not more.
How do you spot an elemental-dose trick on the label?
This is where label-readers get fooled most often. Many minerals are sold bound to another molecule. Magnesium bisglycinate is magnesium joined to two glycine molecules, an amino acid.
So a tablet can hold 1,000 mg of "magnesium bisglycinate" but only about 140 mg of actual magnesium. That actual amount is called elemental magnesium, and it is the number that counts.
Here is a quick rule. Pure magnesium bisglycinate is about 14% magnesium by weight. That comes from simple chemistry, the weight of the magnesium compared with the whole molecule. We explain it in our guide to magnesium glycinate, citrate and oxide.
So if a label claims more elemental magnesium than 14% of the bisglycinate weight, something else is in there. Often that is magnesium oxide, a cheaper form. "Buffered magnesium glycinate" usually means bisglycinate blended with oxide.
Your three checks:
- Does the label name the exact form, not just "magnesium"?
- Does it give the elemental amount per serving?
- Does the maths add up with the 14% rule?
The same idea works for iron, zinc and calcium. Look for the form and the elemental amount, not just the compound's weight.
What this means if you...
...buy supplements on Amazon or a quick-commerce app
Zoom into the product photos before you pay. If you cannot read the licence number or the "NOT FOR MEDICINAL USE" line, ask the seller. When the pack arrives, check the number on FoSCoS before you open the seal.
...found the brand through an Instagram ad
Compare the reel with the label. If the ad talks about a disease and the pack stays quiet, that gap is your answer. Look for the brand's website, a real address and a licence number that matches.
...already have a half-used bottle at home
Run the five checks tonight. Licence, category words, "NOT FOR MEDICINAL USE", the form and elemental dose, and no disease claims. If it fails more than one, talk to your doctor or chemist before you finish it.
Where AIM stands
We would rather you check us than trust us. Our UNWIND label names both forms and their weights: magnesium bisglycinate chelate 1,530 mg and magnesium citrate 1,500 mg per 3-tablet daily serve. It states the total, 393 mg of elemental magnesium, and it contains zero magnesium oxide. You can run the same checks from this article on our pack. If anything on it is unclear, write to us and we will answer.
Frequently asked questions
How can I check if my supplement is genuine in India?
Start with the 14-digit FSSAI licence number on the pack. Enter it in the FBO Search on FSSAI's FoSCoS portal and check that the company name matches. Then read the label for the category, such as HEALTH SUPPLEMENT, and the line NOT FOR MEDICINAL USE. Finally, check that it names the form and elemental dose and makes no disease claims.
How do I check an FSSAI licence number?
Go to foscos.fssai.gov.in, FSSAI's official food licensing portal. Choose FBO Search and type in the 14-digit licence or registration number from the pack. Check that the business name and address match what is printed on the label. If the number is missing, too short, or shows a different company, be careful and do not buy.
Does an FSSAI licence mean a supplement works?
No. An FSSAI licence means the business is registered with India's food regulator. It does not mean FSSAI tested that bottle or checked that it does what the ad says. Think of it as a basic entry ticket. You still need to read the label, check the form and dose, and look out for claims that go too far.
What does NOT FOR MEDICINAL USE mean on a supplement?
It is a warning that FSSAI's 2022 nutraceutical rules require on supplement labels, in capital and bold letters. It reminds you that the product is sold as a food, not a medicine. It should not be used in place of medicine your doctor has prescribed. A supplement pack without this line is not following the rules.
What is elemental magnesium on a label?
Elemental magnesium is the actual amount of magnesium in a tablet, not the weight of the whole compound. For example, pure magnesium bisglycinate is only about 14% magnesium by weight. So 1,000 mg of bisglycinate gives roughly 140 mg of elemental magnesium. A good label shows both the form and the elemental amount, so you can check the maths.
Sources
- Rishabh Sharma. What is inside your supplement? Maharashtra FDA plans wider scrutiny. Business Standard, 4 October 2026. business-standard.com
- PTI. FSSAI initiates legal action against Nestle India over infant nutrition products. The Hindu, 18 September 2026. thehindu.com
- Food Safety and Standards Authority of India. Frequently Asked Questions on FSSAI Licence and Registration (FoSCoS), July 2022. fssai.gov.in (PDF)
- Food Safety and Standards Authority of India. Food Safety and Standards (Health Supplements, Nutraceuticals, Food for Special Dietary Use, Food for Special Medical Purpose, and Prebiotic and Probiotic Food) Regulations, 2022. Direction dated 29 March 2022, in force from 1 April 2022. fssai.gov.in (PDF)
This article is for education only and is not medical advice. Supplements are not a substitute for a varied diet or for treatment from a qualified doctor. If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, on medication, or have a medical condition, talk to your doctor before starting any supplement. Individual results vary.
Photo: Ilya Andrianov via Pexels.