FSSAI acts against liquor makers over flavour, labelling violations
New Delhi, August 2
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India 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
Reader Comments
As someone who enjoys an occasional drink, this is concerning but reassuring at the same time. The "7 years old blended" claim being debunked is particularly egregious - consumers trust labels. FSSAI needs to be stricter on misleading claims, not just on alcohol but all food products.
My father always said "branded doesn't mean pure" and looks like he was right. These companies think we're fools who can't taste the difference. Adding artificial flavours to make fake aged spirits - shame on them! FSSAI should publish the full list of offending brands so consumers can make informed choices.
Good regulation, but I wonder how this affects the international market. Many global brands use flavourings in their products. Is India's standard too strict here, or are these companies genuinely cutting corners? Would be interesting to see a comparison with international standards on this issue.
About time! I've always suspected that "7 years old" claim was bogus. Who's buying this stuff anyway - people who want to show off at parties without knowing the quality. FSSAI should also check the imported whiskeys which cost lakhs and might be doing the same thing. Saare ek hi thali ke chatakne hain 😄
This is a classic case of corporate greed. Instead of investing in proper ageing processes which take years and cost money, they take shortcuts with artificial flavours. But consumers also need to be aware - if a 10-year-old whiskey is selling at the price of a 5-year-old one, something is fishy. No such thing as free lunch! 🤷♀
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