TN Orders Distillery Quality Checks Involving Guindy Central Laboratory

The Tamil Nadu government has ordered strict quality testing across all distilleries in the state to ensure alcohol content complies with prescribed standards, following public concern over the temporary ban and subsequent quick clearance of products from private manufacturer Enrica Enterprises. As part of the standard protocol, samples collected from manufacturing units are sent to the central government laboratory in Guindy, Chennai, for chemical analysis.

The Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (TASMAC), the state-run monopoly agency for liquor sales, procures beer from seven companies and spirits from 11 manufacturers. On August 13, following directives from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), TASMAC banned the sale of 11 liquor variants produced by Enrica Enterprises. However, the Prohibition and Excise office recommended lifting the ban the very next day, advising TASMAC to resume sales.

The swift revocation raised suspicions, prompting consumers and TASMAC employees to demand strict quality assurance across all beverages sold through the retail network.

Clarifying the testing procedure on Sunday, a senior TASMAC official explained that once liquor is manufactured at distilleries, samples are collected and sent to the central government laboratory in Guindy. Bottling and dispatch for sale take place only after Prohibition and Excise officials verify quality based on test certificates issued by the Guindy facility. In addition, TASMAC officials randomly pick bottles from retail outlets and send them for lab testing to monitor quality.

Following the Enrica controversy, fresh instructions have been issued to officials to conduct comprehensive quality checks across all distilleries to confirm that alcohol levels strictly adhere to permitted limits. Since November 2003, TASMAC has relied almost exclusively on standard chemical analysis from the state laboratory in Guindy.

The testing primarily verifies whether liquor samples meet the standard 42.8 per cent alcohol-by-volume (ABV) threshold to certify products fit for public sale. Wine varieties range from 12 per cent to 15 per cent ABV, while beers range from five per cent to eight per cent ABV. However, health experts and consumer groups have argued that relying solely on percentage testing is inadequate for modern food safety standards.

TASMAC currently sells about 250 local and other-state liquor brands, including over 180 local liquor brands, 43 local beer brands, three local wine brands, six out-of-state liquor brands, five out-of-state beer brands, and eight out-of-state wine brands.