Report

The  Food Safety and Drug Administration (FDA) Department has started collecting samples of imported chocolates from across Karnataka amid concerns over undisclosed alcohol content in these products. According to media reports, many popular imported chocolates often lack clear labels warning consumers—especially children—about their alcohol content.

Focus on Clear Alcohol Disclosure in Labels

The department’s focus is now on ensuring label compliance, particularly for products sold without proper alcohol disclosure. This initiative follows a directive from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), New Delhi, as part of its National Annual Surveillance Plan (NASP). Under the directive, all states must conduct monthly product-specific sampling drives to identify potential food safety risks such as contamination, adulteration, and labelling violations. For May, the focus is on ‘Imported Food Products,’ and Karnataka has kicked off this drive by collecting chocolate samples.

Testing for Quality, Safety, and Compliance

Officials will test the collected samples to assess quality, safety, and compliance with labelling and advertising regulations. They will upload the results to the central Food Safety Compliance System (FoSCoS), allowing authorities to take action against violators. So far, the department has collected 23 samples.

Protecting Children and Vulnerable Consumers

While alcohol is not a mandatory ingredient in chocolates, some foreign brands include it to enhance flavour, particularly in liqueur-filled or truffle varieties. These chocolates can contain alcohol ranging from 1 to 5% by volume. According to food safety regulations, any presence of alcohol must be clearly indicated on the product label since alcohol consumption is prohibited for children and certain other groups. “Undisclosed or excessive alcohol content can pose health risks and violate labelling laws. Our tests aim to ensure that all imported chocolates comply with safety and labelling standards to protect consumers,” the official added.

Source: The New Indian Express