After FSSAI's Old Monk action, could Minty Jamun and Mango Chilli Vodka face scrutiny?
Food safety regulator FSSAI banned the sale of some of the most popular whiskies and rum in India — including Old Monk and Royal Challenge
Food safety regulator FSSAI banned the sale of some of the most popular whiskies and rum in India — including Old Monk and Royal Challenge Whisky — for using artificial flavouring instead of proper ageing and ingredients to achieve their taste and aroma. This sudden crackdown puts popular flavoured vodkas, such as Minty Jamun or Mirchi Mango, in focus. Will they be next? Under the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) regulatory framework, the answer is no, because these niche vodkas are legally protected. What does FSSAI Alcoholic Beverages Regulations say about vodka? Under FSSAI (Alcoholic Beverages) Regulations, 2018, standard vodka is defined strictly as a distilled alcoholic beverage made from a neutral spirit. This base spirit must be obtained from the fermented mash of agricultural carbohydrates, such as rye, potatoes, cassava, or grains. The regulations, however, explicitly carve out a separate category for "Premix/Flavoured Vodka". The FSSAI has defined flavoured vodka as a beverage made out of standard vodka and permitted natural or artificial flavourings, with or without added colour and sugar. By definition, the law anticipates and fully allows the infusion of distinct, external flavours into a neutral vodka base. FSSAI's Old Monk crackdown is not a blanket ban The regulatory halt on specific batches of Old Monk and other standard whiskies is not a blanket ban on flavoured alcohol.
FSSAI’s enforcement specifically targets a deceptive industry loophole: the practice of adding "rum flavour to rum" or "whisky flavour to whisky". The regulator said it allows the use of natural flavouring substances in alcoholic drinks, but its tests found that some Diageo and Inbrew factories were adding flavours from the alcoholic beverage itself, such as rum flavour to rum. "There is no internationally recognised manufacturing practice whereby rum flavour is added to rum or whisky flavour is added to whisky," the FSSAI said in a statement. Such flavours would allow companies to bypass maturation or the use of natural ingredients such as molasses, malt, or grapes, FSSAI added. “FSSAI’s focus on consumer safety and its efforts to curb misleading age-related health claims are necessary and welcome,” Nita Kapoor, CEO of ISWAI, told LiveMint. “Strong oversight in this area is essential to maintain public trust, and there is broad agreement that exaggerated or unsubstantiated claims must be addressed firmly.” She also noted that the use of artificial or simulated flavours is a long-established and widely accepted practice across FMCG categories, including the alcoholic sector. “Such ingredients are often deployed to ensure consistency, safety, and consumer acceptability, and are typically governed by defined regulatory standards.” “Any policy approach should therefore avoid conflating standard industry practices with misleading claims or non-compliance,” Kapoor said.
The BriefWire