Feds: Powdered Alcohol Approved in 'Error'

The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau rescinded its April 8 'label approval' of controversial new product Palcohol

The federal government admitted Monday that its recent approval of Palcohol-a powdered alcohol which turns water into vodka and rum-was actually done in 'error.'

The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau granted Palcohol 'label approval' on April 8 only to rescind it 13 days later, the Associated Press reports, after news of the product started to go viral.

US legalises powdered alcohol (yes really!) to sprinkle on drinks or food(!) http://ift.tt/1lziCjx... http://t.co/y7MG0ui4fu- wine thinker (@robertjoseph) April 18, 2014

Although federal representative Tom Hogue didn't go into specifics as to how the error was made, he told the AP in an email that 'there seemed to be a discrepancy on our fill level, how much powder is in the bag' and that the approvals were surrendered on the afternoon of April 21. Palcohol will have to resubmit labels for approval to the bureau, which is part of the Department of Treasury.

The government had originally approved various types of Palcohol-ranging from lemon drops to cosmopolitans. Various news outlets noted the approval of the product more than a week later, when it began covering the science and safety of the powdered drink. Although Palcohol has since rewritten its website, blogs captured the site's original language which encouraged consumers to sneak the powdered alcohol into sporting events that don't serve alcohol and expensive concert venues. According to SB Nation, Palcohol's website originally stated:

Let's talk about the elephant in the room....snorting Palcohol. Yes, you can snort it. And you'll get drunk almost instantly because the alcohol will be absorbed so quickly in your nose. Good idea? No. It will mess you up. Use Palcohol responsibly.

The site has since clarified, 'There was a page visible on this site where we were experimenting with some humorous and edgy verbiage about Palcohol. It was not meant to be our final presentation of Palcohol.' The company was not immediately available for comment.

[ AP]