Drawback Tutorial

Drawback Tutorial Home TTB F 5154.1 Glossary/References Definitions TTB actions What is density? What is specific gravity? Important unit conversions Calculations Calculation of eligible alcohol Calculation of alcohol content of finished product Calculation Worksheets Unfitness for Beverage Purposes What makes a product unfit? 1% solutions Organoleptic Analysis Naming Nonbeverage Products Components of Formulas Format of submissions Common mistakes Listing Ingredients in Your Formula Identifying all sources of ethanol Limited ingredients Prohibited ingredients Information about solid extracts Artificial versus natural vanillin Flavors purchased from other manufacturers Compounded flavors manufactured in-house Acids as flavoring chemicals Botanicals allowed in flavors Submitting Samples with Formulas Revisions to Approved Formulas Special Products Food products containing ethanol Vanilla Extracts and Vanilla Flavors Example Formulas Simple mixture 1 Simple mixture 2 (including discussion about yield) Simple mixture 3 (includes a disapproved intermediate formula) Simple extract Washed extract (with multiple sources of ethanol) Dietary Supplements 1 Dietary Supplement 2

Format of Submissions

The product’s composition is the part of the submission that allows TTB to determine whether it should be approved.  The format and quality of the information in this section is critical to the review process.  Incorrect, incomplete, or poorly formatted information are a major reason for delayed processing or return of submissions.  An example of a well-formatted entry in box 13 is shown below:

The following items make this formula easy to process:

1. The ingredient units are consistent.
2. Ingredients are listed individually or in specific groups, such as natural esters.
3. Limited ingredients are identified and quantified. 
4. The weight of each ingredient or ingredient class is given along with the units. 
5. Ingredients that contain ethanol list the percentage of alcohol, the weight of the component and its equivalent volume.
6. The ingredient making the product unfit for beverage purposes is declared.
7. A yield is given with the same units as the ingredients, and a statement about the process (simple mixture) is provided.

Using this information, the TTB chemist can review this formula relatively quickly.

Click here to view an example form.