India’s food safety regulator has issued compliance notices to several alcoholic beverage producers over the alleged use of unauthorised flavourings and misleading age statements, marking a tougher regulatory approach toward product authenticity and labelling in one of the world’s fastest-growing alcohol markets.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) said the companies may have violated the Food Safety and Standards (Alcoholic Beverages) Regulations, 2018, and has asked them to explain why further enforcement action should not be taken under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
In a statement posted on social media, the regulator said companies that fail to provide a satisfactory explanation could face additional legal action.
Focus Is Not on Flavourings Themselves, but on Imitating Natural Character
A key focus of the investigation is the use of flavouring substances.
Under India’s Food Safety and Standards (Alcoholic Beverages) Regulations, 2018, alcoholic beverages may contain food additives, processing aids and enzymes permitted under the country’s food additive regulations. However, producers are prohibited from adding flavouring substances that artificially recreate the natural flavour profile expected of a particular alcoholic beverage.
According to FSSAI, some manufacturers have added flavourings designed to mimic the characteristic aromas and flavours of rum, brandy, gin, malt whisky, grain whisky, wine and beer.
The regulator said the practice directly violates the regulations because these beverages must derive their characteristic flavour and aroma naturally, rather than through added flavourings.
The regulations provide legal definitions for products such as rum, brandy, whisky and wine, each of which is required to possess its own “characteristic” aroma and flavour. Those sensory characteristics are expected to result from raw materials, fermentation, distillation and maturation—not from flavour compounds added after production.
In other words, the regulator is not targeting naturally developed oak-derived notes such as vanilla, caramel or smoke, nor the use of permitted food additives. Instead, the enforcement action is aimed at producers that artificially create or enhance flavour profiles that should arise naturally during production and ageing.
Age Claims Also Under Scrutiny
FSSAI has also targeted age statements on alcoholic beverages.
The regulator said some producers have used the word “aged”, its synonyms, or other expressions implying a product’s age without complying with Article 13.7 of the Alcoholic Beverages Regulations.
Under the rule, any age statement must reflect the age of the youngest spirit used in a blended product.
That means a blended spirit made from components aged three, eight and 15 years may only be labelled as three years old, rather than eight or 15 years.
The principle is intended to prevent consumers from being misled into believing an entire bottle has been aged for the same period simply because a small proportion of older spirit has been included in the blend.
FSSAI said some producers not only failed to base age statements on the youngest component but also used wording that implied lengthy maturation without meeting the legal requirements governing age declarations, potentially misleading consumers.
Regulatory Focus Expands Beyond Food Safety
The enforcement action reflects a broader shift in India’s alcohol regulation.
Historically, FSSAI has focused primarily on food safety issues such as contamination, hygiene standards and labelling compliance. This latest action places greater emphasis on product authenticity and accurate consumer information, rather than food safety risks alone.
The regulator has not disclosed the identities of the companies involved or whether formal penalties have been initiated.
It said only that the companies must submit written explanations detailing why further action should not be taken under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and its associated regulations.
For both Indian producers and international alcohol brands seeking to enter the Indian market, the move signals that regulatory scrutiny will increasingly extend beyond product formulation to include label design, marketing claims and the presentation of age statements.
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