FSSAI acts against liquor makers over flavour, labelling violations

New Delhi [India], August 2 (ANI): The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has initiated enforcement action against several alcoholic beverage manufacturers over alleged violations related to flavour usage, misleading labelling and age claims, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said on Sunday.

In an official statement, the Ministry said the action was taken after FSSAI found certain manufacturers were adding external flavours that mimic the inherent aroma and taste of standard alcoholic beverages and selling them as regular rum or whisky, contrary to existing food safety regulations.

According to the Ministry, such products are "not only sub-standard but are also misrepresented by using the names of standard categories" and should instead be identified as "Rum-flavoured Spirit" or "Whisky-flavoured Spirit", while clearly disclosing their true nature on the front of the pack.

The Ministry said laboratory testing of rum and whisky samples from multiple manufacturers found the presence of external artificial or nature-identical flavours. It quoted laboratory findings as saying that "the addition of artificial flavours is masking its natural flavour and making the product substandard", adding that failure to describe such products as "flavoured/premix rum" on the label could mislead consumers.

Clarifying the regulatory position, the Ministry said the issue is not with the use of flavouring substances in general, which are permitted under food safety regulations where supported by a legitimate technological justification. Rather, it concerns the practice of adding the flavour of the standardised alcoholic beverage itself, such as rum flavour in rum or whisky flavour in whisky.

"The present matter... concerns the practice adopted by certain manufacturers of adding the flavour of the standardised alcoholic beverage itself, for instance, the addition of rum flavour in rum or whisky flavour in whisky," the statement said.

The Ministry also said the "7 years old blended" claim on a brand's rum variant was found to be misleading. It said FSSAI's investigation found the product primarily contained neutral, unaged spirit, while matured rum spirit accounted for less than 5 per cent of the blend. Under the Food Safety and Standards (Alcoholic Beverages) Regulations, 2018, the age claim of a blended spirit should be based on the youngest spirit in the blend, it added.

The Ministry clarified that the issue does not represent the entire alcohol industry, stating that several manufacturers continue to produce standardised alcoholic beverages in compliance with prescribed standards. It added that there is "no internationally recognised manufacturing practice" of adding rum flavour to rum or whisky flavour to whisky to generate their defining sensory characteristics. (ANI)

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