Every time a new trend in alcoholic beverages arises, it also raises the question of whether or not the company making these new products is taking the right approach to labeling them. The Associated Press recently featured a story about a drink product that may not be sanctioned just yet, but could still affect the industry in other ways.
This is powdered alcohol, or the brand name “Palcohol,” which the source noted was not actually approved for sale by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau: it appeared to have been approved, but that was a mistake, a source quoted by the AP alleges.
Granted, the AP also points out that this isn’t an entirely new invention and that the concept has actually been around for more than 30 years. But the recent adjustment made by the Bureau seems to have been a significant one that put this product in the spotlight. The reason for the refusal has centered on the packaging used for Palcohol, which shows how product label printing can make a difference in whether a product gets approved for sale.
Scientific American recently interviewed blogger and scientist See Arr Oh, who described this latest effort on behalf of the producers as a gimmick and seemed to diminish the ultimate impact of this latest case.
“‘Powdered alcohol’ is a great example of nothing new under the sun—there’s patents for this that go back to the early 1970s,” Oh said.
Whether or not this a new advancement, however, the complexity of the chemicals included in such a package could still call for label printers that can fit all the necessary information so that both consumers and government regulations are satisfied.
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