FSSAI Bans Ashwagandha Leaves in Food Products 2026 — What It Means & Which Products Are Affected
FSSAI banned ashwagandha leaves in packaged food in April 2026. Only ashwagandha root extract is permitted. Check which Indian health drinks, supplements & foods are affected.
FSSAI Bans Ashwagandha Leaves in Food Products April 2026
On April 16, 2026, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India issued a formal advisory banning the use of ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) leaves in any form — crude or extract — in food products. This is one of the most significant FSSAI actions of 2026 and directly affects a wide range of "health" food and beverage products sold across India.
What FSSAI Has Actually Said
The FSSAI advisory states:
"Under the Food Safety and Standards (Health Supplements, Nutraceuticals, Food for Special Dietary Use, Food for Special Medical Purpose, Functional Food and Novel Food) Regulations, 2016, only Ashwagandha roots and their extracts are permitted in health supplements and nutraceuticals. The use of Ashwagandha leaves in any form is not permitted."
Food Business Operators are required to comply immediately. Non-compliance is subject to action under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
Why Were Ashwagandha Leaves Banned?
Ashwagandha root and ashwagandha leaf have very different chemical compositions.
Ashwagandha root — the traditionally used part in Ayurveda — contains withanolides at lower concentrations with a long safety record in human use.
Ashwagandha leaf — contains significantly higher concentrations of withanolides and withaferin A. Studies in high-dose animal models show hepatotoxic (liver-damaging) effects at the concentrations found in leaf extracts. Several case reports of liver injury in humans consuming ashwagandha leaf-based products have been documented.
FSSAI's ban is a precautionary response to growing evidence of liver toxicity from leaf-based formulations.
Which Indian Products Are Affected?
Many Indian health food brands added ashwagandha leaf extract to their products for marketing purposes — "with ashwagandha" is a powerful health claim in the Indian market. Products potentially affected include:
Ayurvedic beverages claiming full-plant ashwagandha content
What is STILL permitted:
What You Should Do as a Consumer
Check the label: Products should declare ashwagandha root extract specifically, not "ashwagandha extract" generically.
Look for KSM-66 or Sensoril: These are certified root-only ashwagandha extracts with safety profiles.
Avoid "whole plant" ashwagandha: This phrasing includes leaves.
Scan with AaharIQ: The app will flag non-compliant ashwagandha leaf use in supplements.
References
- [1]AaharIQ Research Team (2026). FSSAI Bans Ashwagandha Leaves in Food Products 2026 — What It Means & Which Products Are Affected. AaharIQ Health Reports.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Ashwagandha root and root extract remain fully permitted in health supplements and nutraceuticals under FSSAI regulations. Only ashwagandha leaf in any form is banned as of April 2026.
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