Ice creams marketed with flavours resembling alcoholic drinks have drawn attention and concern in Chennai, with parents alleging that such products could normalise liquor tastes among children and teenagers.
The products are being sold at a shop in Welcome Colony, West Anna Nagar, operating under the name “I Sandy Natural”. The menu includes ice creams labelled with flavours such as wine, vodka and whisky, and the items have reportedly been popular among youngsters.
Following online promotions and public complaints, the Tiruvallur district Food Safety department team led by officer Ravichandran conducted an inspection at the Anna Nagar outlet. Officials collected two ice cream samples and sent them to a laboratory for testing.
Food Safety officials said they did not find evidence during the inspection to suggest that alcohol was directly mixed into the ice creams. They noted that essences and flavouring liquids may have been used to create the smell and taste associated with alcoholic beverages, and said final clarity would come only after lab results.
The shop’s owner, Santhosh, said the outlet does not manufacture ice creams on-site and that products are supplied from the company’s headquarters in Nagercoil. He maintained that the alcohol-named variants contain no alcohol, and suggested that visuals used in advertising may have led to misunderstanding.
