The government has clarified that enforcement action initiated by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) against certain alcoholic beverage manufacturers relates to the use of flavouring substances that mimic the characteristics of standardised alcoholic beverages and allegedly misleading age-related claims on product labels.

In a statement, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) said action was initiated against some alcohol manufacturers for non-compliance with existing food safety regulations, including the use of flavours that mimic the inherent aroma and taste of standardised alcoholic beverages such as rum and whisky.