The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has clarified its regulatory position on the use of identical or characteristic flavours in alcoholic beverages, following reports of enforcement action against certain alcoholic beverage manufacturers.
The clarification is important because it does not mean that the use of all flavouring substances in alcoholic beverages is prohibited. Rather, the regulatory concern relates specifically to the use of a flavour that is intended to recreate the characteristic flavour of the very alcoholic beverage being represented as a standard product.
In simple terms, the issue is not “flavours in alcoholic beverages are banned.”
The issue is whether a manufacturer is using an externally added flavour to imitate the characteristic sensory profile of a standardized alcoholic beverage and then selling or labelling the product as that standard beverage without adequately declaring its true nature.
Why is this an issue?
The characteristic sensory profile of an alcoholic beverage can result from several factors, including its raw materials, fermentation, yeast activity, distillation, maturation and other recognized manufacturing processes.
For example, the characteristic profile of products such as rum or whisky is associated with their respective manufacturing processes and raw materials.
According to FSSAI's clarification, certain products were found to be manufactured substantially using neutral or extra-neutral spirit and subsequently supplemented with external flavours intended to recreate the characteristic aroma and taste associated with standardized products.
This raises two regulatory concerns:
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Whether the product conforms to the applicable product standard.
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Whether the product label accurately communicates the true nature of the food to consumers.
What does the labelling regulation say?
Regulation 5.1 of the Food Safety and Standards (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020 requires the package of food to carry the name of the food indicating its true nature on the front of the pack.
Therefore, where a product does not meet the characteristics of a standardized alcoholic beverage and is instead a flavoured or premixed spirit, its presentation and labelling must not create a misleading impression about the nature of the product.
What did laboratory testing find?
FSSAI stated that samples of rum and whisky from multiple manufacturers were collected and sent for laboratory examination.
According to the clarification, some laboratory reports identified the presence of externally added artificial or nature-identical flavours and considered the products non-conforming with the applicable standards.
For rum, for example, Regulation 2.5 of the Food Safety and Standards (Alcoholic Beverages) Regulations, 2018provides that rum should possess the characteristic taste and aroma associated with the product.
The regulatory concern, therefore, is not simply the presence of a flavouring substance. It is whether the addition of such a flavour is being used to artificially reproduce the characteristic sensory properties expected to arise from the product's ingredients and manufacturing process.
What about natural and nature-identical flavours?
This is one of the most important points in FSSAI's clarification.
Natural and nature-identical flavouring substances are not, in themselves, prohibited in alcoholic beverages.
Flavours such as coffee, vanilla or other permitted flavours may be used where their use is otherwise allowed under the applicable regulations and has a legitimate technological purpose.
The present regulatory issue is different.
FSSAI has specifically distinguished between:
Permitted flavour addition:
Adding a flavour such as coffee or vanilla to an alcoholic beverage where such use is legally permitted and technologically justified.
Identical flavour addition:
Adding rum flavour to a product represented as rum or whisky flavour to a product represented as whisky, with the purpose of recreating the characteristic sensory profile of the standardized beverage itself.
FSSAI has compared the latter practice to adding coffee flavour to coffee or tea flavour to tea when the defining characteristics are expected to arise inherently from the product.
The clarification refers to Clauses 3.1.1(4) and 3.1.1(7) of the Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011, which reinforce the requirement that food additives should not be used in a manner that is misleading and should serve a legitimate technological purpose.
The issue of misleading age claims
FSSAI also highlighted a separate concern relating to an age claim made for a rum product.
During investigation, the claim “7 years old blended” on a variant of Old Monk XXX Rum was examined.
FSSAI stated that the major ingredient was neutral, unmatured/unaged spirit, while the matured rum spirit constituted a minor proportion of the blend.
The clarification states that the age declaration for a blend is required to be based on the youngest spirit in the blend, in accordance with the applicable provisions of the Food Safety and Standards (Alcoholic Beverages) Regulations, 2018.
Therefore, an age statement on an alcoholic beverage must not create a misleading impression regarding the age of the spirit actually present in the blend.
Enforcement action by FSSAI
FSSAI stated that enforcement action was initiated based on non-conforming laboratory reports.
The clarification mentioned prohibition of sale in cases involving products associated with the following manufacturers and brands:
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M/s Mohan Rocky Springwater, Khopoli unit — 3 Old Monk Rum variants: The Legend, Gold Reserve and XXX Matured Rum
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M/s United Spirits, Baramati — McDowell’s No. 1 Rum
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M/s INBREW Beverages, Madhya Pradesh — Bagpiper Deluxe Whisky and Old Cask Deluxe XXX Rum
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M/s Associated Alcohol & Breweries, Madhya Pradesh — Central Province Whisky and McDowell’s No. 1 Celebration Matured XXX Rum
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M/s United Spirits, Madhya Pradesh — Antiquity Blue Whisky and Royal Challenge Whisky
FSSAI also stated that inspections and sampling were conducted at M/s Mandexi Distilleries & Breweries in Goa.
Further, notices were issued to six other manufacturers in Maharashtra, with further regulatory action stated to be under process.
Conditional relaxation for certain manufacturers
FSSAI further clarified that conditional revocation of prohibition of sale was granted to two manufacturers following their appeals.
For existing stock, the manufacturers were permitted to sell the products subject to disclosure of the true nature of the product on the front of the pack.
For future production, directions were issued not to add identical flavours such as rum flavour to rum or whisky flavour to whisky in the manner under consideration.
Does this mean the entire alcoholic beverage industry is affected?
No.
FSSAI specifically clarified that the issue does not represent the entire alcoholic beverage industry.
Several manufacturers continue to produce standardized alcoholic beverages in accordance with the prescribed standards.
The regulatory concern is directed towards particular manufacturing practices where products predominantly made from neutral or extra-neutral alcohol, which does not inherently possess the expected characteristic flavour profile, are subsequently supplemented with identical or artificial flavours to reproduce those characteristics.
What is the key regulatory takeaway?
The most important takeaway is that FSSAI has not announced a blanket prohibition on flavouring substances in alcoholic beverages.
The regulatory focus is on:
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Compliance with the applicable product standards
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Accurate declaration of the true nature of the product
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Prevention of misleading or deceptive labelling
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Appropriate use of permitted food additives and flavouring substances
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Authenticity of the characteristic sensory profile of standardized alcoholic beverages
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Accuracy of age-related claims on blended alcoholic beverages
The matter also highlights an important principle under food law: food additives cannot be used in a manner that misleads consumers about the identity, nature or characteristics of a food.
For food businesses, manufacturers and food safety professionals, the development is a useful reminder that compliance involves more than simply checking whether an individual ingredient or additive is permitted. The purpose, manner and technological justification of its use, together with the product's composition, applicable standard and labelling, also matter.
In short
Flavouring substances are not generally banned in alcoholic beverages.
The regulatory concern arises when an externally added flavour is used to imitate the characteristic flavour of a standardized alcoholic beverage, while the product is represented to consumers as that standardized product.
FSSAI's position reinforces the importance of product authenticity, truthful labelling and protection of consumers from misleading representations.
Regulatory note: This article is an independent, simplified explanation of FSSAI's clarification dated 2 August 2026. Readers should refer to the applicable FSSAI regulations, notifications and official directions for the exact legal text and compliance requirements. This article should not be treated as legal advice.
