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Core Purpose

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India issues the Food Safety and Standards (Alcoholic Beverages) first Amendment Regulations, 2025, to further amend the Food Safety and Standards (Alcoholic Beverages) Regulations, 2018.

Detailed Summary

This notification, issued by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on June 20, 2025, introduces the Food Safety and Standards (Alcoholic Beverages) first Amendment Regulations, 2025, effective January 1, 2026. These regulations amend the Food Safety and Standards (Alcoholic Beverages) Regulations, 2018, leveraging powers under clause (v) of sub-section (2) of section 92 of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 (34 of 2006), after considering objections and suggestions to the draft published on May 11, 2023 (F. No. STD/SP-21/T(Alcohol-6)) and made available to the public on May 19, 2023. Key amendments include: Insertion of sub-regulation 1.2.4a defining "alcoholic ready-to-drink beverages" as flavored beverages with more than 0.5% and up to 15.0% alcohol by volume, along with corresponding amendments in sub-regulation 1.3.9. Regulation 2.2 is substituted to redefine "Country liquors or Indian Liquors" and introduce classifications for "Plain country liquor or Plain Indian liquor" and "Blended country liquor or Blended Indian liquor," requiring conformity to PART 1 and TABLE-1, with product names and ingredients listed in the new Annexure-1. In regulation 3.1.4, the heading is changed to "Fruit Wine (other than grape wine) along with Honey wine," and a new clause 3.1.4.4 is inserted defining "Honey wine or Mead" (with ethyl alcohol content varying between 4% to 15.5%). Regulation 3.1.5 is amended to include "or whole grains," and regulation 3.1.6 is updated to state that "Wine Based Beverages may or may not be carbonated." A new sub-regulation 4.2 (1) (i) is inserted, defining "Nitro Craft Beer" as craft beer containing a mixture of CO2 and N2 gas. Amendments are made to TABLE-1, TABLE-2, TABLE-3, and TABLE-4 for headings, definitions, and requirements; specifically, TABLE-3 includes a new column (8) for "Craft Beer" with a 'Strong' category (More than 5.0 up to 8.0 alcohol) and new footnotes, while TABLE-4's heading is updated to "Requirements for Alcoholic Ready-to-drink beverages" and its alcohol content range adjusted to '>0.5 to <15.0'. Finally, Annexure-1 is added, containing Table I (List of Indian Liquors - Distilled), Table II (List of Indian Liquor - Undistilled), and Table III (List of Indian Liquor - Ready to Drink Alcoholic Beverage), specifying alcoholic products, raw materials, and compliance tables, with a note that products governed by other Acts/Regulations are exempted. The principal regulations were originally published on March 19, 2018 (F. No. 2/SA-24/2009(1)/FSSAI) and last amended on August 21, 2023 (F. No. STD/SP-21/T(Alcohol-4)).

Full Text

REGD. No. D. L.-33004/99 The Gazette of India CG-DL-E-24062025-264085 EXTRAORDINARY PART III—Section 4 PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY NEW DELHI, MONDAY, JUNE 23, 2025/ASHADHA 2, 1947 MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE FOOD SAFETY AND STANDARDS AUTHORITY OF INDIA NOTIFICATION New Delhi, the 20th June, 2025 F. No. STD/SP-21/T(Alcohol-6).- Whereas the draft Food Safety and Standards (Alcoholic Beverages) Amendment Regulations, 2023 were published as required by sub-section (1) of section 92 of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 (34 of 2006), vide notification of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India number, F. No. STD/SP-21/T(Alcohol-6), dated the 11th May, 2023, in the Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part III, Section 4, inviting objections and suggestions from the persons likely to be affected thereby, before the expiry of the period of sixty days from the date on which the copies of the Official Gazette containing the said notification were made available to the public; And whereas, the copies of the said Gazette were made available to the public on the 19th May, 2023; And whereas, objections and suggestions received from the public in respect of the said draft regulations have been considered by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India; Now, therefore, in exercise of the powers conferred by clause (v) of sub-section (2) of section 92 of the said Act, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India hereby makes the following regulations further to amend the Food Safety and Standards (Alcoholic Beverages) Regulations, 2018, namely: - 1. These regulations may be called the Food Safety and Standards (Alcoholic Beverages) first Amendment Regulations, 2025. 2. They shall come into force on 01st January, 2026. 3. In the Food Safety and Standards (Alcoholic Beverages) Regulations, 2018, – (1) in PART-1, (a) in regulation 1.2 relating to 'Definitions', after sub-regulation 1.2.4, the following shall be inserted, namely: '1.2.4a. "alcoholic ready-to-drink beverages" means, flavored beverages having more than 0.5 and up to 15.0% of alcohol by volume, made from spirit or the mixture of spirit or any alcoholic beverage as base by adding natural or nature identical or artificial flavors and food additives permitted under the Food Safety and Standards (Food Product Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011, or a combination thereof, and fruit or vegetable juice or herbs or spices, or a combination thereof, with or without added sugar or caloric sweeteners or salt and with or without carbonation. In case of carbonated alcoholic ready-to-drink beverages, they shall be carbonated with carbon dioxide, which shall have a minimum of one volume of carbon dioxide and shall conform to the requirements of TABLE-4.]'. (b) in regulation 1.3, in sub-regulation 1.3.9, after the proviso, for the words beginning with "Alcoholic beverage containing" and ending with "the requirements of TABLE-4", the following shall be substituted, namely: - "Alcoholic beverage containing more than 0.5 per cent abv and up to 15.0 per cent abv shall be called as Alcoholic ready-to-drink beverage and it shall conform to the definition provided under regulation 1.2 and the requirements of TABLE-4,"; (2) in PART 2, for regulation 2.2, the following regulation shall be substituted, namely: - "2.2 Country liquors or Indian Liquors: Country liquors or Indian Liquors or spirits are alcoholic beverages obtained from distillation of fermentable carbohydrates of agricultural origin. Country liquors or Indian made Liquors may also be of the following types, namely: - 2.2.1 Plain country liquor or Plain Indian liquor: Plain country liquor or Plain Indian liquor shall be made from alcoholic distillate obtained from fermented molasses, jaggery (Gur), mash of cereals, potato, cassava, fruits, juice or sap of coconut and palm trees, mahua flowers or any other carbohydrates of agricultural origin. 2.2.2 Blended country liquor or Blended Indian liquor: Blended country liquor or Blended Indian liquor is a blend of an alcoholic distillate, rectified spirit or neutral spirit. Note: Country liquor or Indian liquor shall also conform to the general requirement specified in PART 1 and requirements specified in TABLE – 1. Product name and ingredients or raw materials for such products are specified in Annexure-1 of these regulations and the same are not exhaustive.". (3) in PART-3, in regulation 3.1, - (a) in sub-regulation 3.1.4, - (i) for the heading “Wine from fruits other than grapes", the following heading shall be substituted, namely: - "Fruit Wine (other than grape wine) along with Honey wine"; (ii) after clause 3.1.4.3, the following clause shall be inserted, namely: - "3.1.4.4 Honey wine or Mead: Honey wine or Mead is a wine produced from the fermentation of an aqueous solution of honey by yeasts without addition of any other carbohydrate source. It may contain herbs, spices or natural flavourings and shall conform to the requirements provided under Table-2 except ethyl alcohol content which may vary between 4% to 15.5%."; (b) in sub-regulation 3.1.5, after the words "juice or sap", the words "or whole grains" shall be inserted; (c) in sub-regulation 3.1.6, after the words "or any other approved substance", the words "Wine Based Beverages may or may not be carbonated." shall be inserted, (4) in PART 4, in regulation 4.2, after sub-regulation 4.2 (1), the following sub-regulation shall be inserted, namely: - "4.2 (1) (i) Nitro Craft Beer- Nitro Craft Beer is the craft beer having the mixture of CO2 and N2 gas." (5) in TABLE-1, - (a) for the heading in column 5, the following heading shall be substituted, namely: - "Country Liquor, Indian Liquor, Plain Country Liquor or Plain Indian Liquor"; (b) for the heading in column 6, the following heading shall be substituted, namely: - "Blended Country Liquors or Blended Indian Liquors"; (c) in the footnote, for the words “low alcoholic beverages", the words "Ready to Drink Alcoholic Beverage" shall be substituted; (6) in TABLE-2, - (a) in column 7, in the heading, after the words "Fruit Wine (other than grape wine)", the words "along with Honey wine" shall be inserted; (b) in the foot note, for the words "in accordance with their", the words "except the characteristic", shall be substituted. (7) in TABLE-3, - (a) in Column 2, (i) against serial number 3, for the words "Carbon dioxide, v/v, Min", the words "CO2 or Mixture of CO2 and N2 gas, v/v, Min***” shall be substituted; (ii) against serial number 10, for the words "Total plate count, cfu per ml", the words, "Total plate count, cfu per ml **** " shall be substituted. (b) after column (7), the following column shall be inserted, namely: - +-----------------+ | Craft Beer | +-----------------+ | Strong | +-----------------+ | (8) | +-----------------+ | More than 5.0 up| | to 8.0 | +-----------------+ | 3.3-4.8 | +-----------------+ | 1.8-3.6 | +-----------------+ | 50.0 | +-----------------+ | 2.0 | +-----------------+ | 5.0 | +-----------------+ | 0.2 | +-----------------+ | 0.25 | +-----------------+ | 0.1 | +-----------------+ | <100 | +-----------------+ | Absent | +-----------------+ | Absent | +-----------------+ | * | +-----------------+ (c) after the existing footnotes, the following footnotes shall be inserted, namely: - “ *** Mixture of CO2 and N2 gas is applicable for craft beer. **** Does not include Brewer's yeast.". (8) in TABLE 4, - (a) for the existing heading, the heading "Requirements for Alcoholic Ready-to-drink beverages" shall be substituted; (b) against serial number 1, in column (3), for the entry '>0.5 to 8.0', the entry '>0.5 to <15.0', shall be substituted. (9) after TABLE 4, the following Annexure shall be inserted, namely: - "Annexure-1 Table I: List of Indian Liquors (Distilled Liquor) +-------+-------------------+---------------------------+---------------------------+ | S. No.| Alcoholic products| Raw materials and Starter | Product category to comply| +-------+-------------------+---------------------------+---------------------------+ | 1 | Acham | Rice, chamri | Table 1 (5) | | 2 | Ark or ara | Barley, apple, wild apricot| Table 1 (5) | | 3 | Arak or Hor-Alank | Rice, Thap | Table 1 (5) | | 4 | Aara | Cereals, paa, pee | Table 1 (5) | | 5 | Basi | Rice | Table 1 (5) | | 6 | Batta Sarai | Clear distilled liquor; | Table 1(5) | | | | alcoholic drink | | | 7 | Daru | Cereal | Table 1 (5) | | 8 | Handia | Rice, ranu | Table 1 (5) | | 9 | Haria | Rice and bhakar or dabai | Table 1 (5) | | | | or mod pitha | | | 10 | Juharo | Rice, humao | Table 1 (5) | | 11 | Kiad | Rice, thiat | Table 1 (5) | | 12 | Madda feni | Cashew fruit | Table 1 (5) | | 13 | Madhu | Rice, khekhrii | Table 1 (5) | | 14 | Madua Apong | Finger millet, phab | Table 1 (5) | | 15 | Mahua | Dried corollas of | Table 1 (5) | | | | Madhucalongifolia and ranu| | | 16 | Nava | Jaggery, Molasses | Table 1(5) | | | Sagara/kandasarai | | | | 17 | Nchiangne | Red rice | Table 1 (5) | | 18 | Raksi | Cereals and marcha | Table 1 (5) | | 19 | Rakzu | Rice and dawdim | Table 1 (5) | | 20 | Ruhi | Rice | Table 1 (5) | | 21 | Soor | Fruits and keem | Table 1 (5) | | 22 | Tin-zu | Rice and dawdim | Table 1 (5) | | 23 | Toddy liquor | Made from distilled palm | Table 1(5) | | | | sap | | | 24 | Xaj pani/koloh | Rice, xaj pittha | Table 1 (5) | | | pani | | | | 25 | Yu | Rice, hamei | Table 1 (5) | | 26 | Zu | Rice | Table 1 (5) | | 27 | Zupui | Rice and dawdim | Table 1 (5) | +-------+-------------------+---------------------------+---------------------------+ Table II: List of Indian Liquor (Undistilled Liquor) +-------+-------------------+---------------------------+---------------------------------------+ | S. No.| Alcoholic products| Raw materials and Starter | Product category to comply | +-------+-------------------+---------------------------+---------------------------------------+ | 1 | Angoori or | Grapes | Table 2 [White Wine (3) | | | kinnauri | | and RedWine (4)] | | 2 | Chulli | Apricot | Table 2 (7) | | 3 | Ghanti | Apple and apricot | Table 2 (7) | +-------+-------------------+---------------------------+---------------------------------------+ Table III: List of Indian Liquor (Ready to Drink Alcoholic Beverage) +-------+---------------------+---------------------------+---------------------------+ | S. No.| Alcoholic products | Raw materials and Starter | Product category to comply| +-------+---------------------+---------------------------+---------------------------+ | 1 | Apong or ennog | Rice, Apop pitha | Table 4 | | 2 | Atingba | Rice, hamei | Table 4 | | 3 | Ahom | Rice and vekur pitha | Table 4 | | 4 | Bhaati jaanr | Rice, marcha | Table 4 | | 5 | Bhang-chyang | Maizerice/ barley and pham| Table 4 | | 6 | Buza | Barley | Table 4 | | 7 | Chhang/Chyang/Chee/ | Finger millet/barley and | Table 4 | | | Kodo ko jaanr | phab | | | 8 | Chhind | Extracted sap of chhind | Table 4 | | | | (Phoenix sylvestris) | | | 9 | Chakti | Jaggery | Table 4 | | 10 | Dekuijao | Rice | Table 4 | | 11 | Duizou | Red rice, khekhrii | Table 4 | | 12 | Ennog | Black rice, phut | Table 4 | | 13 | Faapar ko jaanr | Buck wheat, marcha | Table 4 | | 14 | Gahoon ko jaanr | Wheat, marcha | Table 4 | | 15 | Jann or jaan | Rice, wheat and other | Table 4 | | | | cerealsand balam | | | 16 | Jao ko jaanr | Barley, marcha | Table 4 | | 17 | Jhara | Rice, dabai ranu | Table 4 | | 18 | Jou | Rice, khekhrii | Table 4 | | 19 | Jou Bishi | Rice, angkur | Table 4 | | 20 | Judima | Rice, humao | Table 4 | | 21 | Juhning | Rice | Table 4 | | 22 | Kodo ko jaanr | Finger millet and marcha | Table 4 | | 23 | Khor | Germinated rice | Table 4 | | 24 | Kanji | Beet carrot root and | Table 4 | | | | torami | | | 25 | Langi | Rice, chowan | Table 4 | | 26 | Laopani | Rice, pitha | Table 4 | | 27 | Lugri | Barley | Table 4 | | 28 | Mingari/Lohpani | Maize, rice or barley and | Table 4 | | | | pham | | | 29 | Makai ko jaanr | Maize, marcha | Table 4 | | 30 | Nduijao | Rice | Table 4 | | 31 | Nyongin | Rice, opop | Table 4 | | 32 | Oa | Rice-fillet mixture, paa | Table 4 | | 33 | Opo | Rice-millet | Table 4 | | 34 | Pachwai | Rice, bhakar | Table 4 | | 35 | Patso | Rice, chamri | Table 4 | | 36 | Pendum | Rice, herbs, ranu or | Table 4 | | | | bhakar | | | 37 | Pheijou | Rice, husk, khai | Table 4 | | 38 | Pona/Pone | Rice | Table 4 | | 39 | Rak | Apple, wild almond, | Table 4 | | | | apricot and jiggery and | | | | | phab | | | 40 | Sez | Rice | Table 4 | | 41 | Sujen | Rice and mod pitha or | Table 4 | | | | perok kushi | | | 42 | Sura | Finger millet | Table 4 | | 43 | Simal tarul ko | Cassava tuber and marcha | Table 4 | | | jaanr | | | | 44 | Sira-Oa | Rice-fillet mixture, paa | Table 4 | | 45 | Themsing | Finger millet/barley | Table 4 | | 46 | Timpui | Rice, khai | Table 4 | | 47 | Waiyu | Rice, husk, khai | Table 4 | | 48 | Yu angouba | Germinated rice | Table 4 | | 49 | Zoungao | Germinated rice | Table 4 | | 50 | Zutho/Zhuchu | Rice, khekhrii | Table 4 | | 51 | Zufang | Sticky rice and dawdim | Table 4 | +-------+-------------------+---------------------------+---------------------------+ Note: The products specified in Table I, II and III of the Annexure, which are governed by any other Act and Regulations are exempted from the provisions of these Regulations.". G. KAMALA VARDHANA RAO, Chief Executive Officer [ADVT.-III/4/Exty./186/2025-26] Note. - The principal regulations were published in the Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part III, Section 4, vide notification number F. No. 2/SA-24/2009(1)/FSSAI, dated 19th March, 2018 and last amended vide notification no. F. No. STD/SP-21/T(Alcohol-4) dated 21st August, 2023. Uploaded by Dte. of Printing at Government of India Press, Ring Road, Mayapuri, New Delhi-110064 and Published by the Controller of Publications, Delhi-110054. GORAKHA NATH YADAVA Digitally signed by GORAKHA NATH YADAVA Date: 2025.06.24 15:03:24 +05'30"

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