The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has officially announced changes to the Food Safety and Standards (Alcoholic Beverages) Regulations, 2018 . These changes, known as the Food Safety and Standards (Alcoholic Beverages) First Amendment Regulations, 2025, will come into effect from January 1, 2026. The new regulations bring updated definitions and standards for different types of alcoholic beverages to better reflect current industry practices and product varieties. These amendments were finalized after a public consultation held in May 2023, during which FSSAI carefully reviewed and considered feedback and suggestions from various stakeholders in the alcohol industry.
What’s New in the Rules?
New Definition for Ready-to-Drink Alcoholic Beverages
FSSAI has introduced a clear definition for alcoholic ready-to-drink (RTD) beverages in the new regulations. These are drinks that contain between 0.5% and 15% alcohol by volume. They are flavored using either natural or artificial ingredients and may also include fruit juice, sugar, herbs, spices, salt, and carbonation. These beverages can be prepared from spirits or a mix of different types of alcoholic bases. Additionally, if the drink is carbonated (fizzy), it must meet specific standards for carbon dioxide content to ensure consistency and safety.
Clearer Rules for Country Liquors / Indian Liquors
The new rules provide more detailed definitions for Country Liquors or Indian Liquors, which are alcoholic beverages made from agricultural materials. There are two types: Plain Liquor, which is produced by distilling ingredients like molasses, jaggery, cereals, fruits, palm sap, mahua flowers, and other agricultural sources; and Blended Liquor, which is created by mixing distilled alcohol with rectified spirit or neutral spirit. These clearer definitions aim to improve regulation and quality control across traditional Indian liquors.
Honey Wine (Mead) Added to Fruit Wine Category
The wine category has now been expanded to include honey wine, also known as mead. This type of wine is made by fermenting a mixture of honey and water using yeast. According to the new rules, the alcohol content in mead can range from 4% to 15.5%. The regulations also make it clear that wine-based beverages can be either carbonated or non-carbonated, depending on the product. This change helps in recognizing a wider variety of wine products, including those made from non-grape ingredients.
New Category for Nitro Craft Beer
FSSAI has added a new category called Nitro Craft Beer. This is a type of craft beer that uses a blend of carbon dioxide (CO₂) and nitrogen (N₂) gases during brewing. The nitrogen gives the beer a smooth, creamy texture that is different from regular carbonated beers. With this addition, the regulations now support more innovative and diverse brewing styles in India’s growing craft beer market.
List of Traditional Indian Liquors Included
One of the major highlights of the new regulations is the inclusion of a list of traditional Indian alcoholic drinks under Annexure-1. This move is aimed at preserving and promoting India’s rich heritage of tribal and regional alcoholic beverages by giving them formal recognition in national food safety regulations. These are grouped into three categories:
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Table I lists Distilled Liquors, such as Mahua, Raksi, and Toddy,
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Table II includes Undistilled Liquors, like Angoori and Chulli, and
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Table III features Ready-to-Drink Traditional Drinks, such as Apong, Chhang, and Zutho.
Other Notable Changes
Several consequential updates have been made across Table-1 to Table-4 to align ingredient, processing, and labeling standards with the revised definitions. Products already regulated under separate laws or statutes remain outside the scope of these amendments.
Conclusion
With the Alcoholic Beverages First Amendment Regulations, 2025, FSSAI continues its mission of ensuring food safety and regulatory clarity while embracing innovation and tradition in India’s evolving alcoholic beverage landscape. The new standards not only provide a regulatory foundation for emerging categories like RTDs and Nitro Beer but also ensure that traditional and regional liquors are formally acknowledged and protected under national food law.
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Date – 28 June, 2025 Time – 10 AM to 5 PM Fee – Rs 1180
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