The food safety and standards authority of India (FSSAI) has clarified that its recent enforcement action against several alcoholic beverage manufacturers is aimed at preventing the use of flavouring substances that mimic the inherent characteristics of standardised alcoholic beverages such as rum and whisky, as well as curbing misleading age-related claims on product labels.
The clarification follows widespread media reports suggesting that the regulator had banned the use of flavours in alcoholic beverages. The union ministry of health and family welfare (MoHFW) said the action does not prohibit the use of natural or nature-identical flavouring substances where they are legally permitted and supported by a legitimate technological purpose. Instead, it targets manufacturers that allegedly add 'rum flavour' to rum or 'whisky flavour' to whisky to artificially recreate the characteristic aroma and taste of these beverages.
According to FSSAI, the distinctive sensory profile of alcoholic beverages is expected to develop naturally through recognised manufacturing processes, including the use of appropriate base materials such as molasses for rum, malt for whisky and grapes for wine, along with fermentation, yeast activity, distillation and maturation. However, investigations found that some manufacturers were producing beverages primarily from spirits or extra-neutral alcohol, which inherently lacks the characteristic flavour profile of standardised alcoholic beverages, and subsequently adding external flavouring substances to imitate that profile.
The regulator said such products are sub-standard and are being misrepresented by using the names of standard categories such as rum and whisky. Under the Food Safety and Standards (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020, every packaged food product must carry a name on the front of the pack that accurately reflects its true nature. FSSAI said products manufactured in this manner should instead be described as 'rum-flavoured spirit' or 'whisky-flavoured spirit', as appropriate.
Laboratory testing of rum and whisky samples collected from multiple manufacturers reportedly found the presence of external artificial or nature-identical flavouring substances. The laboratory reports concluded that these additives masked the products' natural flavour profile, rendering them sub-standard under the Food Safety and Standards (Alcoholic Beverages) Regulations, 2018. The regulator also said failure to identify such products as flavoured spirits on their labels could mislead consumers.
Misleading Age Claim
FSSAI also questioned the '7-year-old blended' claim on an Old Monk XXX Rum variant. According to the regulator, investigations found that the principal ingredient in the product was neutral, unmatured spirit, while matured rum spirit constituted less than 5% of the blend. Under the Food Safety and Standards (Alcoholic Beverages) Regulations, 2018, the age statement of a blended spirit must be based on the youngest spirit used in the blend. The regulator said the label was therefore misleading and in violation of the regulations.
Products Prohibited
Based on non-conforming laboratory reports, FSSAI has prohibited the sale of products manufactured by Mohan Rocky Springwater's Khopoli unit, including three Old Monk rum variants—The Legend, Gold Reserve and XXX Matured Rum.
Similar action has been taken against products manufactured by United Spirits' Baramati unit, including McDowell's No.1 Rum; INBREW Beverages' Madhya Pradesh unit for Bagpiper Deluxe Whisky and Old Cask Deluxe XXX Rum; Associated Alcohol & Breweries' Madhya Pradesh unit for Central Province Whisky and McDowell's No.1 Celebration Matured XXX Rum; and United Spirits' Madhya Pradesh unit for Antiquity Blue Whisky and Royal Challenge Whisky.
The regulator has also conducted inspections and collected samples at Mandexi Distilleries & Breweries in Goa and issued notices to six other manufacturers in Maharashtra. FSSAI said further action against these companies will follow in accordance with the findings of the investigation.
The regulator clarified that two manufacturers appealed against the prohibition orders, following which conditional relaxation was granted. They have been allowed to sell their existing stock only after clearly disclosing the true nature of the product on the front of the package. However, they have been directed not to add identical flavouring substances such as rum flavour to rum or whisky flavour to whisky in future production.
Regulatory Position
Explaining its regulatory position, FSSAI said the issue under consideration is not the general use of flavouring substances. Natural and nature-identical flavours such as coffee or vanilla continue to be permitted where their use is legally allowed and supported by a legitimate technological justification.
The present case concerns the addition of flavouring substances that replicate the defining characteristics of the standardised alcoholic beverage itself. The regulator compared the practice to adding coffee flavour to coffee or tea flavour to tea, saying such additions serve no legitimate technological purpose because those characteristics are expected to arise naturally from the composition of the product.
FSSAI stressed that the issue is not representative of the entire alcohol industry. It said several manufacturers continue to produce standardised alcoholic beverages in full compliance with prescribed standards, using recognised manufacturing processes that naturally develop the characteristic flavour and aroma of the product.
The authority also noted that there is no internationally recognised manufacturing practice of adding rum flavour to rum or whisky flavour to whisky to create the defining sensory characteristics of these beverages.
Reiterating its mandate, FSSAI said its standards are designed to preserve the authenticity of alcoholic beverages, ensure that products remain true to their raw-material origins and prevent the use of additives that could mislead consumers. The regulator said it will continue to enforce food safety standards to protect consumer interests and promote fair practices in the food and beverage sector.
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