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

Important Information About 1% Solutions

The artificial and natural flavors lists identify chemicals that make a product unfit at 1% by weight. Often, companies will prepare 1% solutions of flavor chemicals for use as components of compounded flavors.  It is important to note that compounded flavors containing these 1% solutions are not necessarily unfit.  This is because the 1% solution will be combined with other ingredients resulting in a flavor that contains less than the required amount of the particular flavor chemical.

You can use these lists two ways—(1) you can submit a formula for approval of the list of natural materials and another one for the list of artificial materials.  You can use these materials in flavors manufactured at your facility and if no additional alcohol is added, you will not have to submit formulas for the products that contain the 1% solution.  (2) you can use these materials as a reference for the quantity that will make a product unfit for beverage purposes.  For example, if your product contains 1% ethyl butyrate by weight in the absence of a mitigating ingredient (such as sugar), it is unfit for beverage purposes. 

Although it is not mandatory, we highly encourage the use of FEMA numbers.

A calculation worksheet based on the above guidelines is available for download.  Based on the ethanol content of the flavor, this worksheet will calculate the amount needed of an ingredient, in the appropriate units, to make your product unfit.

Download Calculation Worksheet
pounds / gallons
grams / milliliters