Is your herbal brew really tea? FSSAI's warning sheds light on major misbranding issue

Herbal teas and natural brews are some of the most popular beverages on any beverage menu. But do you know every colourful warm concoction with 'tea' in its name is not actually a tea or 'chai'?

FSSAI clarifies use of ‘tea’, bars labeling of herbal and plant infusions as tea

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has clarified that food business operators (FBOs) are not permitted to use the term “tea” on the packaging or labels of herbal or plant-based infusions that do not come from the Camellia sinensis plant, cautioning that doing so constitutes misbranding under existing regulations.

In a directive dated December 24, the food safety regulator noted that it has found several FBOs selling products labelled as “Rooibos Tea”, “Herbal Tea”, and “Flower Tea”, despite these drinks not being derived from Camellia sinensis.

As per FSSAI regulations, only beverages made from this plant qualify to be sold as tea. “It has come to the notice of FSSAI that some Food Business Operators (FBOs) are marketing products that are not obtained from the plant Camellia sinensis under the name ‘Tea’, such as ‘Rooibos Tea’, ‘Herbal Tea’, ‘Flower Tea’, etc.,” the notification said.

FSSAI clarified that tea, including Kangra tea, green tea and instant tea in solid form, must be derived exclusively from Camellia sinensis to be considered authentic tea.

“Such plant-based or herbal infusions or blends, which are not derived from Camellia sinensis, do not qualify to be named as tea,” the FSSAI said.

“Therefore, the use of the word ‘tea’ directly or indirectly for any other plant-based or herbal infusions or blends not derived from Camellia sinensis is misleading and amounts to misbranding under the provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and the rules or regulations made thereunder,” it added.

How do you check if your herbal tea is authentic?

Checking authenticity of your brew is easy when you're buying packaged tea. As per FSSAI mandate, every package should clearly indicate the true nature of the food on the front of the pack, which should also tell you the source of the tea.

However, if you're ordering herbal tea at a cafe or a restaurant, there are few ways you can make sure you're drinking real tea. Many cafés list details under the drink name. Words like brew, infusion, or tisane usually indicate it’s not real tea. If the menu says “green tea with mint” or “black tea masala,” it likely contains Camellia sinensis.

The simplest way is to ask the staff what plant the drink is made from. If it’s made from tea leaves (black, green, or white), it’s real tea. If the ingredients include herbs, flowers, spices, fruits, or roots, such as chamomile, tulsi, hibiscus, lemongrass, ginger, or rose, it’s an herbal infusion, not true tea. If possible, request the staff to show you the pack of tea they use in the kitchen.

Remember, real tea contains natural caffeine (unless it’s decaffeinated). Chamomile, peppermint, and rooibos are naturally caffeine-free, which is a strong clue that they aren’t true tea.

Tea leaves have a distinct grassy, malty, or slightly bitter aroma. Herbal infusions smell more floral, spicy, or fruity. Also be on the lookout for menus which list the process or recipe of a certain concoction.

In the case of authentic herbal tea, tea leaves are usually steeped for 2–4 minutes in hot (not boiling) water. Herbal infusions often require longer steeping or even boiling to extract flavour, which cafés may mention.

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