By Chaminda Silva

A newly built Excise Department laboratory, established to check the standards of legally manufactured alcoholic beverages such as whiskey, brandy, vodka, and beer currently available in the market, will be inaugurated soon, Excise Commissioner General Udaya Kumara Perera has said.

Perera told The Island that the facility would also test imported alcoholic beverages.

The laboratory has been set up in Pugoda at an estimated cost of Rs. 50 million. Random samples of alcoholic beverages collected from production facilities and the market would be submitted for testing, he said.

The Commissioner General stated that all information related to the samples submitted for testing would be treated as confidential. If any issues regarding quality are identified, the Excise Department would strictly enforce the law against the errant manufacturers, he said.

Sri Lanka Standards Institution had established specific guidelines for alcoholic beverages sold in the country, and the new laboratory would ensure compliance with these standards, Perera said. “At present, quality testing of alcoholic beverages is conducted by agencies such as the Government Analyst’s Department and the Industrial Technology Institute. However, the new laboratory conforms to ISO/IEC 17025 standards and will gain international accreditation once the certification process is complete.

The Excise Commissioner General revealed that approximately Rs. 200 million would be allocated from the forthcoming budget to upgrade the laboratory with advanced technology. “Work is already underway to recruit the necessary personnel and equip it with the required facilities.”

Under the supervision of the Commissioner General, Deputy Excise Commissioner (Research and Studies) Roshan Perera and a team of officials are currently overseeing the laboratory’s operations.

This initiative aims to enhance the quality assurance process of alcoholic beverages in Sri Lanka, improve standards, and ensure the safety of consumers.