The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has officially notified amendments to the Food Safety and Standards (Alcoholic Beverages) Regulations, 2018. These new regulations, titled the Food Safety and Standards (Alcoholic Beverages) first Amendment Regulations, 2025, are set to come into force on January 1, 2026, and introduce updates to definitions and standards for various alcoholic products.
The amendments follow a public consultation process initiated in May 2023, where objections and suggestions from stakeholders were considered by the FSSAI.
Key Highlights of the Amendments
Formal Definition of “Alcoholic Ready-to-Drink Beverages
A major addition is the formal definition of “alcoholic ready-to-drink beverages.” These are now defined as flavored beverages with an alcohol by volume (abv) content of more than 0.5% and up to 15.0%. They can be made from spirit or a mixture of spirits or any alcoholic beverage as a base, with the addition of natural, nature-identical, or artificial flavors, permitted food additives, and optional fruit/vegetable juice, herbs, spices, sugar, caloric sweeteners, salt, and carbonation. Carbonated versions must meet specific carbon dioxide requirements.
Updated Definitions for Country Liquors/Indian Liquors:
The regulations now provide clearer definitions for “Country liquors or Indian Liquors,” specifying them as alcoholic beverages obtained from the distillation of fermentable carbohydrates of agricultural origin. Two sub-types are defined:
- Plain country liquor or Plain Indian liquor: Made from alcoholic distillate derived from molasses, jaggery, cereals, potato, cassava, fruits, sap of coconut/palm trees, mahua flowers, or other agricultural carbohydrates.
- Blended country liquor or Blended Indian liquor: A blend of an alcoholic distillate, rectified spirit, or neutral spirit.
Expanded Wine Category to Include Honey Wine
The heading “Wine from fruits other than grapes” has been updated to “Fruit Wine (other than grape wine) along with Honey wine.” A new definition for “Honey wine or Mead” has been inserted, specifying it as a wine produced from the fermentation of an aqueous solution of honey by yeasts, with alcohol content ranging from 4% to 15.5%. The amendments also clarify that “Wine Based Beverages may or may not be carbonated.”
Introduction of Nitro Craft Beer
A new sub-regulation has been added to define “Nitro Craft Beer” as a craft beer featuring a mixture of CO2 and N2 gas. Corresponding adjustments have been made in Table-3 regarding gas requirements.
Comprehensive Lists of Indian Liquors
A new Annexure-1 has been added, providing non-exhaustive lists of various Indian alcoholic products categorized into:
Table I: Indian Liquors (Distilled Liquor), including traditional beverages like “Mahua,” “Raksi,” and “Toddy liquor.”
Table II: Indian Liquor (Undistilled Liquor), such as “Angoori” and “Chulli.”
Table III: Indian Liquor (Ready to Drink Alcoholic Beverage), featuring products like “Apong,” “Chhang,” and “Zutho.”
The notification also details consequential amendments to various tables (Table-1, Table-2, Table-3, and Table-4) to align with these new definitions and categories, ensuring consistency in standards and requirements across the alcoholic beverage spectrum. Products governed by other specific Acts and Regulations remain exempted from the provisions of these FSSAI regulations.
