FSSAI restricts yeast count in beer, microbreweries hit across the country

More than 170 microbreweries across the country may be hit by a recent notification by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) that restricts the yeast count in beer, a factor that’s central to its appeal. With the rule coming into effect on April 1, microbrewery owners and craft brewers will meet FSSAI officials in Delhi this week to seek clarity, since the stipulated yeast level is significantly lower than that found typically in such brews.

Microbrewery owners are unhappy that they have not been given a separate category in the notification. They also aim to seek clarity on whether FSSAI is interpreting yeast as a contaminant and not as a raw material to manufacture craft beer.

The regulator wants to regulate “yeast and mould” contaminants, which may be unintentionally formed in beer as a result of improper sanitation and faulty storage. But it does not seek to regulate yeast as an integral ingredient and raw material in the beer brewing process, say companies.

“The notification does not appear to be clearly worded and this may lead to confusion. We, therefore, intend to file a representation with FSSAI in this regard,” said Gaurav Sikka of the Craft Brewers Association of India (CBAI).

Sikka is also the managing director of Bengaluru-based Arbor Brewing Co.

According to the FSSAI gazette notification, regular beer has to be entirely free of yeast while draught beer will be permitted a ceiling of 40 colony-forming units (CFU). The idea is to ensure that microbreweries across India maintain health and safety standards during the brewing and stocking processes.

“Normal beer has to be yeast-free,” said FSSAI CEO Pawan Agarwal. “In case of draught and microbrewery beer, there will be a yeast count ceiling of 40 CFU. The fear is that yeast above the permissible limit may multiply and render the beer unsafe.”

While Agarwal maintains he has not heard from CBAI yet, he’s open to a discussion. “If microbrewery owners feel there is a technical challenge and find it impossible to achieve the result with the ceiling mentioned in the order, they can file representation and we can look into the matter,” he said.

Source:-https://retail.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/food-entertainment/grocery/fssai-restricts-yeast-count-in-beer-microbreweries-hit-across-the-country/68059351

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