The Food Safety Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) on May 12, 2023, issued draft Food Safety and Standards (Alcoholic Beverages) Amendment Regulations, 2023 to further amend the Food Safety and Standards (Alcoholic Beverages) Regulations, 2018.
Objections and suggestions, which may be received from any person with respect to the said draft regulations, before the expiry of sixty days, shall be considered by the Food Authority.
The following has been amended-
•In regulation 1.2 relating to „Definitions‟, after sub-regulation1.2.12, “1.2.12a. “Ready–to–drink/ Low alcoholic beverages, shall be low alcoholic, flavoured beverages having more than 0.5 to 8.0% of alcohol ABV, made from spirit or the mixture of spirit or any alcoholic beverage other than wine and beer as base by adding natural/nature identical/artificial flavors and/or food additives permitted under the FSS (FPS&FA) Regulations 2011; and/or fruit/vegetable juice with or without added sugar/salt and with or without carbonation. In the case of carbonated ready-to-drink (RTD) /low-alcoholic beverages, they shall be carbonated with carbon dioxide. However, the carbonated RTD /low alcoholic beverages shall have a minimum of one volume of carbon dioxide. It shall conform to the requirements of Table-4]” shall be inserted.
•In Table 2, the footnote starting with the words “wine-based beverages” and ending with “ethyl alcohol content”, shall be substituted with “Wine-based beverages shall comply with the standards of table wine, except the characteristic ethyl alcohol content.”
•After Table 4, Table 1: List of Indian Liquors (Distilled Liquor) Annexure shall be inserted.
[Notification No. STD/SP-21/T(Alcohol-6)]
