Drug inspectors in Muzaffarpur, 80km north of Patna, have banned the sale of the health drink Horlicks in the district, alleging that it was being sold as a vegetarian product even though it contains animal-sourced ingredients.

Senior officials said the ban order was issued after a query to manufacturer GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare whether the health drink contains Vitamin D2 from plant sources or Vitamin D3 from animal sources did not elicit a satisfactory response.

“The health drink has been banned on suspicion that it may have D3 as company officials have not given a clear reply to this. The ban order will remain until we receive a satisfactory response from the company,” Muzaffarpur drug inspector Vikash Shiromani said.

He claimed that Horlicks has ingredients with therapeutic and prophylactic qualities, which would require the company to seek licence through drug regulators. The product is currently sold under a food licence. “We have pointed this out to company (GlaxoSmithKline) officials,” he said.

The health drink, Shiromani added, had been banned under sections 22 (i) and (d) of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940. A copy of the letter has been sent to the state drug controller’s office apart from the food safety commissioner and Food and Drugs Control Administration.

Sources said that earlier in September, the Muzaffarpur drug control administration had sent notices to around 400 pharma companies on the use of green dots on the packs of gelatin-based capsules.

Gelatin is obtained by processing the connective animal tissues, bones and skin.

An official of Ratna Enterprises, one of the two authorised stockists of Horlicks in Muzaffarpur, said: “We cannot comment. The company officials are authorised to speak on this.”

Mansi Traders, another authorised Horlicks stockist, could not be contacted. GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare Limited country manager Veena Sharma’s phone was switched off.

Drug inspector Shiromani said the drug control administration will take back the existing Horlicks batches if GlaxoSmithKline requests so. “Anybody found selling or purchasing the health drink will be held guilty and action will be taken,” added Shiromani.

Shiromani said the company had been asked to provide purchase documents of vitamin D, D2 and D3 from January 2015 to until now besides the product registration certificate and other details which they didn’t provide.