Compliance Testing

The Compliance Laboratory and the Beverage Alcohol Laboratory provide comprehensive support to TTB Field Operations divisions.  

The Trade Investigations Division’s Market Compliance Office submits post-market alcohol beverage products, which the labs analyze and evaluate for regulatory compliance.  The Market Compliance Office then reviews the findings and takes appropriate enforcement action when necessary.

TTB investigators and auditors from every district office submit samples to the Compliance Laboratory in conjunction with Product Integrity Investigations and Revenue Audits. Any alcohol beverage for sale in the United States may come to the laboratory for analysis

The laboratory will determine if the sample is compliant with the regulations in 27 CFR. We also check products against all appropriate rulings, procedures, and the applicable FDA regulations

We use the Official Methods of Analysis published by AOAC International when they are available, practical, and appropriate. When AOAC Official Methods of Analysis are not available, or when an equivalent modern technology becomes available, then alternative test methods will be adopted as "TTB Official Methods" of analysis. These are available to the public through the Laboratory when copyright allows. AOAC Official Methods of Analysis are available online.

Beverage Alcohol samples are subjected to the following types of analyses:

• Revenue collection
• Standard of identity
• Limited and prohibited ingredients
• Labeling compliance