New Delhi: The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has barred the sale of several whisky and rum brands after laboratory tests found the use of artificial flavouring in alcoholic beverages. The action covers products manufactured by United Spirits, Inbrew Beverages and Mohan Rocky Springwater.
The banned brands include Antiquity Blue Whisky, Royal Challenge Whisky, McDowell rum variants, Bagpiper Deluxe Whisky, Old Cask Deluxe XXX Rum, and select Old Monk variants, including Old Monk The Legend, Old Monk Gold Reserve and Old Monk XXX Matured Rum.
According to FSSAI, the products were found to be substandard as they contained external artificial or nature identical flavours. “There is no internationally recognised manufacturing practice whereby rum flavour is added to rum or whisky flavour is added to whisky,” the regulator said.
FSSAI stated that such practices could allow manufacturers to avoid proper ageing or the use of natural ingredients. The move follows the regulator’s recent actions against misleading “100%” claims on several food products and the use of the term “energy drinks” for high-caffeine beverages.
