In a relief for craft breweries, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has deferred the implementation of yeast content parameters for beer.

This is even as the new regulations for alcoholic beverages came into effect from Monday.

In a notification, the FSSAI said, “The Food Safety and Standards (Alcoholic Beverages) Regulations 2018 will be implemented with effect from April 1, 2019, except the parameters for yeast in various categories of beer.”

The regulator had earlier decided to limit the maximum yeast count in draught beer to 40 CFU (colony-forming units) and had said that regular beer or lager beer should be free of yeast. Craft brewers had expressed difficulties in implementation of these limits.

“Food business operators (FBOs) may continue manufacturing, importing, packing and distributing craft beer and wine-based beverages currently traded/available in the market. However for any other new innovative alcoholic beverages not covered under these regulations, FBOs are required to approach the food authority,” the notification added.

Statutory warning

The FSSAI had notified these regulations in March 2018 and had given a year’s transition time to the industry before enforcing them.

The new standards for alcoholic beverages also make it mandatory for liquor manufacturers to put statutory warning on labels of liquor bottles and cans.

Alcoholic beverage makers will need to put statutory warnings stating, “ Consumption of alcohol is injurious to health ” and “ Be Safe- Don’t Drink and Drive ” in English and/or in one or more regional languages, as directed by State governments.

The FSSAI has said that a transition time of six months is being given to these companies to use old unused labels and printed cans. It also said that alcoholic beverages manufactured before April 1, 2019 can be sold in the market up to March 31, 2020. Overall, the regulations specify standards for distilled alcoholic beverages (brandy, country liquor, gin, rum, vodka and whisky, liquer or alcoholic cordial), wines and, beer. Other labelling requirements for alcoholic beverages include declaration of alcohol content and allergen warning.

In addition, alcoholic beverage makers cannot put any nutritional information or health claim on their labels.

Also, makers of beverages containing more than 0.5 per cent alcohol by volume cannot use the word “non-intoxicating” or a word implying similar meaning on the label.