CHENNAI: Within three days of prohibiting the sale of 11 Indian-made foreign liquor varieties of Chennai-based manufacturer Enrica Enterprises Pvt Ltd, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) on Friday made a U-turn revoking its earlier order, as distiller reportedly promised compliance within 30 days.Through its Aug 11 order, FSSAI southern regional office had issued prohibitory orders against 11 liquor varieties supplied by Enrica Enterprises following inspection at its manufacturing unit. The order said that the distiller used nature-identical and artificial flavouring substances. Based on the communication, the state and prohibition and excise commissionerate wrote to the Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (Tasmac) on Thursday to stop procuring the 11 varieties of liquor from Enrica as well as not to sell them at retail shops.The retail sale was stopped on Friday, and FSSAI issued a fresh communication on the same day revoking its earlier prohibition order. Prohibition commissioner has communicated the same to the Tasmac management.While FSSAI’s U-turn raised eyebrows, officials said that the company had appealed against the prohibition order promising compliance, after which the prohibition was revoked and instead an improvement notice was issued.“The improvement notice is valid for 30 days before which the distiller should submit a compliance report,” said FSSAI director (southern regional office) V K Pancham.The improvement notice contains conditions with respect to labelling and general practices under Schedule 4 of FSSAI Regulations including good manufacturing practices and good hygiene practices.FSSAI officials said that the existing stock of the liquor varieties are consumable and can be sold.FSSAI is expected to carry out similar inspections at other liquor manufacturing units in the State in the coming weeks.Though the prohibition commissionerate has written to Tasmac lifting the ban on 11 liquor varieties, Tasmac is yet to formally communicate the same to district managers, as liquor shops are closed on Saturday owing to Independence Day. “If we receive any confirmation on lifting the ban on Sunday, we will sell those liquor varieties,” said a representative of Tasmac retail employees.
