Why the FSSAI is also putting liquor under the scanner
The FSSAI recently inspected a Tamil Nadu distillery, raising questions about the intersection of state excise laws and central food safety regulations. While liquor is a state subject, the FSS Act classifies alcoholic drinks as food, granting the central regulator authority over additives and safety standards.
Why it matters
This highlights a jurisdictional conflict between state-level control of alcohol and central government oversight of food safety, impacting how the liquor industry is regulated in India.
On August 11, 2026, the Southern Regional Office of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) inspected a licensed distillery in Tamil Nadu. It directed that 11 liquor products not be sold after nature-identical and artificial flavouring substances were detected. On August 13, the Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (TASMAC) stopped transfers and sales of these products across its network. On August 14, however, FSSAI revoked the prohibition following an appeal and assurance of compliance. The episode raises an unusual question: if intoxicating liquor is constitutionally a State subject, how can a Central food regulator inspect a distillery and determine whether its products may remain on sale?
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