Food Safety and Standards (Alcoholic Beverages) Regulation

Alcoholic Beverages Regulation:

The FSSAI had in 2008 notified a separate regulation for alcoholic drinks. The new regulations called the Food Safety and Standards (alcoholic Beverages) regulations 2018 has come in to force from 1st April, 2019, except the parameter for yeast in various categories of beer, and with the modification of certain specific provisions as per the direction issued by FSSAI on 2nd April, 2019. This direction has been issued after considering the representations received from the stakeholders in respect of the challenges in complying with certain specific requirements like statutory warning, declaring amount of sugar in wines, yeast in Beer etc.

“alcoholic beverage” means a beverage or a liquor or a brew containing more than 0.5 per cent. abv. The ethanol used in the production of alcoholic beverage shall be of agricultural origin.

General requirements:

• Alcoholic beverages shall be free from chloral hydrate, ammonium chloride, paraldehyde, pyridine, diazepam or narcotic, psychotropic substances including caffeine except naturally-occurring caffeine.
• The tolerance limit for ethyl alcohol content shall be ± 0.3 per cent (± 0.5 in case of wines) for upto 20 per cent, and ±1.0 per cent for more than 20 per cent abv of the declared strength.
• Sugar may be added for rounding off of the alcoholic beverage.
• The water used for dilution to bottling strength shall meet the requirements as specified in Indian Standards for Drinking Water, IS:10500 as amended from time to time.
• Alcoholic beverage may contain additives, enzymes and processing aids as permitted under the Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011.
• Any alcoholic beverage when labelled as “matured”, shall be matured for a period of not less than one year in oak or other suitable wood vats or barrels or with wooden chips.
• Where an age claim is made in conjunction with the word “aged”, the age must refer to the youngest spirit in the blend.
• The test methods prescribed in the FSSAI “Manual of Methods of Analysis of Foods-Alcoholic Beverages” as amended from time to time shall be used for analysis.

Packaging Requirements:

Alcoholic beverage shall be packed in suitable containers as specified in the Food Safety and Standards (Packaging and Labelling) Regulations, 2011:

• Provided that bulk containers shall have no upper limit for alcohol content, and shall meet the safety parameters of the product standards. Such products shall also carry a label declaring, “For Manufacturer of Alcoholic Beverages only”.
• Alcoholic beverage containing not more than 8.0 per cent. abv may be called as low alcoholic beverage, and shall confirm to the requirements of table 1 except for residue on evaporation.
• The words and expressions used but not defined in these regulations shall have the same meaning assigned to them in the Act and the rules made thereunder.

Specific Labeling Requirements for Alcoholic Beverages:

In addition to the general labeling provsions specified in the Food Safety and Standards (Packaging and Labelling) Regulations, 2011, as applicable, every package containing alcoholic beverages shall also provide the following information on the label:-

• Declaration of alcohol content: Alcohol content shall be expressed as per cent. abv or as proof.
• Labeling of standard drink: One standard drink is the amount of beverage that contains in it 12.7 ml of abv as measured at 200 C. The label may include a statement of the approximate number of standard drinks in the package.
• Geographical indicators or names may be used on the label solely for the products originating from that geographical region.
• In case of imported alcoholic beverage, the provisions of the Food Safety and Standards (Import) Regulations, 2017, shall apply.
• Alcoholic beverage shall not contain any nutritional information on the label.
• No health claim shall be made on alcoholic beverage
• The label of a package of a beverage containing more than 0.5 per cent abv shall not use the words ‘non-intoxicating’ or words implying similar meaning.
• Food containing alcohol must not be represented in a form which expressly or by implication suggests that the product is a non-alcoholic confection or non-alcoholic beverage.
• Alcoholic beverage other than wine which contain less than 10 per cent alcohol shall mention the date, month and year of expiry on the label, in that order and shall preceed by the words “Expiry date _____” or Use by ______”. However, the manufacturer may use the expression “Best before” as optional or additional information.
• Allergen warning:
  • If the wine contains more than 10 mg sulfur dioxide per litre, the label must declare “Contains sulfur dioxide or Contains sulfite”.
  • If egg white or ising glass as fining, clarifying agent or any other processing aid of animal origin is used in wine, it shall be declared on the label with a non-vegetarian logo, if residues of the same are present in the final product.
• There shall be a statutory warning as mentioned below, printed in English language. In case, respective states wish the same to be printed in their local or regional language, the same shall be allowed without the need for repeating the English version. Size of statutory warning shall not be less than 3 mm.

CONSUMPTION OF ALCOHOL IS INJURIOUS TO HEALTH.
BE SAFE-DON’T DRINK AND DRIVE.

Labelling of wine:

The label on wine shall also:

• Indicate the origin (country or state) of wine and declare the amount of sugar.
• List the name of variety of grape or fruit used in descending order of quantity provided such clam is made.
• Declare the name of residues of preservatives or additives present as such, or in their modified forms, in the final product.

In addition the label on wine may:

• Declare generic name of the grape and its variety, or raw material used, geographic origin, and vintage year, provided such claims are made.
• Declare the name of the place, or region, sub-region or appellation, if 75 per cent the grapes come from that place.
• Carry the name of a grape variety, the wine is made from at least 75 per cent from that grape variety.
• Carry a date of vintage, if at least 85 per cent of the wine comes from that vintage.

Download, Read & Share:

• Food Safety and Standards (Alcoholic Beverages) Regulation
• Manual of methods for Alcoholic Beverages,
• Directions & Letters from FSSAI etc.

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