Airport officials will be entitled to ask persons accompanying babies to taste baby food they carry with them, fresh guidelines issued by the civil aviation ministry on Friday.

"The US has issued directions that the passenger accompanying the baby will taste the food, but here we have left it to the discretion of the security personnel," Civil Aviation Minister Ajay Prasad said.

The new guidelines were issued a day after the unearthing of a terror plot targeting US-bound airliners by police in London [Images].

To a question about whether liquor purchased from duty-free shops before boarding a flight would be allowed, Prasad quipped, "I am afraid, you will have to consume it before boarding".