Published: Journal of Analytical Toxicology, Volume 20, Number 5, September 1996, pp. 332-333.
| Letter to the Editor: |
Unsuspected Ethanol Ingestion Through Soft Drinks and Flavored
Beverages
B.A. Goldberger, E.J. Cone, and L. Kadehjian
To the Editor:
We would like to report the detection of trace amounts of ethanol in soft drinks
and other flavored beverages. At a drug and alcohol treatment center in Norway,
it had appeared that residents were gaining access to ethanol. Because residents
were routinely seen with cans of Sprite, suspicious staff tested a resident’s
can by enzyme assay and found it to contain ethanol. An unopened can was tested,
and it also contained ethanol. Following the initial observation of ethanol
in Sprite, a preliminary study revealed concentrations in commercial flavored
sparkling water as high as 0.221% w/v.
Pursuant to this observation, we purchased various soft drinks and flavored beverages from several markets in the Baltimore, MD area. The ethanol content of these beverages was determined in triplicate with automated headspace gas chromatography (Tekmar equilibrium headspace model 7050 interfaced with a Perkin-Elmer gas chromatograph model 8500). Prior to headspace analysis, a 10-mL aliquot of each beverage was transferred to a 22-mL headspace vial and sonicated to facilitate the release of carbon dioxide. Soon afterward, 0.5 mL of each beverage was diluted with 4.5 mL of a 0.02% v/v solution of n-propanol containing 10% w/w sodium chloride. The quantitative limits of the ethanol assay were 0.002 to 0.255% w/v, and the limit of detection was 0.001% w/v.
The mean ethanol concentrations of the beverages tested are listed in Table I. The concentration range was 0.000 to 0.096% w/v. Although the effect of sonication on the release of ethanol was not evaluated, preliminary results by enzyme assay without sonication were comparable to results obtained by gas chromatographic assay with sonication.
Although we were initially surprised that many beverages contain ethanol, a review of the scientific literature revealed that ethanol is commonly used in the formulation of beverages as a carrier for volatile and natural flavoring materials. Artificial flavoring may also contain ethanol. In situ fermentation is an unlikely source of ethanol because beverages and their ingredients are highly purified and sterilized (1–2). The concentration of ethanol in the beverages tested was very low, less than 1/40th the concentration commonly present in beer (3–5%). According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, beverages containing less than 0.5% ethanol are considered nonalcoholic. If the ethanol content of a beverage is greater than 0.5%, it is considered an alcoholic beverage and must bear the government warning statement. In addition, if ethanol is added as an ingredient, it must be listed in the ingredient declaration. Finally, if the ethanol is present in insignificant quantities as an incidental additive, it may be exempt from labeling requirements (3).
Obviously, if consumed, the alcoholic content of an ethanol-positive beverage would not be physiologically significant. The amount of ethanol consumed from one can would be equivalent to about one sip of beer, and the corresponding peak blood ethanol concentration attained would not exceed 0.001% w/v. In addition, operators of breath-alcohol testing devices must be cautioned regarding the innocent consumption of “nonalcoholic” beverages, such as flavored water, immediately prior to a breath test. Finally, since intentional substitution of urine specimens is often not detected by the collection site and/or the laboratory, it is possible that substitution with a beverage containing ethanol may result in a positive ethanol result.
References
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