It also said that lab reports post testing of samples of these products stated that “the addition of artificial flavours is masking its natural flavour and making the product substandard”
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The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has taken action against leading alchobev players for adding non-permitted flavours in products such as rum and whiskey that mimic their chemical composition, in violation of regulations. The action includes prohibition of sale order against products made in some manufacturing units, notices and inspection in certain States.The regulator said that it has barred the sale of McDowell’s No 1 Rum, Antiquity Blue Whiskey, Royal Challenge Whisky made by Diageo’s United Spirits in Baramati and Madhya Pradesh. Similarly, prohibition of sale orders were issued again Khopoli unit of Mohan Rocky Springwater for three Old Monk Rum variants, which include the Legend, Gold Reserve, XXX Matured Rum, INBREW Beverages, Madhya Pradesh for Bagpiper Deluxe Whisky and Old Cask deluxe XXX Rum, Associated Alcohols & Breweries, Madhya Pradesh for brands, Central Province Whisky, Mcdowells No. 1 Celebration matured XXX Rum. Notices have also been issued to six other manufacturers in the State of Maharashtra in this case and further necessary action to follow soon, the food safety regulator stated on Sunday.The action is state-specific because alcohol is a state subject and samples were tested from different states.FSSAI said manufacturers cannot add additives to mislead consumers and that its standards are instituted to ensure that the chemical composition of such beverages remains authentic to their raw material origins. It had first issued notices to alcobev players on this matter last month consequently some players are looking at legal recourse on this matter.Clarifying its position on this matter, the food safety regulator said that it found that some alcobev manufacturers are externally adding flavour, which mimic the product’s inherent aroma and taste but are sold as a standard products, which misleads consumers. “The potential need for the addition of such flavour is observed due to an existing malpractice wherein manufacturers, instead of creating products through maturation and/or from base materials such as molasses, malt, or grapes to develop their flavour naturally, use spirit/neutral alcohol primarily, which has no specific flavour and therefore add flavour externally,” it added.The regulator said that such products are not “only sub-standard “but are also “misrepresented “ as they are labelled under standard categories. “At best, they can be identified as Rum-flavoured Spirit or Whisky-flavoured Spirit, etc. Further, the front-of-the-pack completely fails to disclose the true nature of the product,” it added.It also said that lab reports post testing of samples of these products stated that “the addition of artificial flavours is masking its natural flavour and making the product substandard”. Also failing to name these products as “flavoured or premix rum” on the product label may mislead or be deceptive to the consumers, FSSAI’s statement added.FSSAI stressed that the use of natural and nature-identical flavouring substances is permissible under the applicable regulations governing alcoholic beverages. “The present matter, however, does not pertain to a prohibition on the use of flavouring substances. Rather, it concerns the practice adopted by certain manufacturers of adding the flavour of the standardized alcoholic beverage itself, for instance, the addition of rum flavour in rum or whisky flavour in whisky,” it added.It has also raised concerns about deceptive age claims regarding the maturation stage of these products in violation of its regulations.Published on August 3, 2026
