Biomaterial Database

[Adulterated alcoholic beverages]. 2010

Kristín Magnúsdóttir, and Jakop Kristinsson, and Borkell Jóhannesson

kristmag@hi.is

Adulterated alcoholic beverages are legal alcoholic products that have been illicitly tampered with, for instance, by criminally diluting them with water, purposely putting them into new containers to conceal their true origin or adding toxic substances to manipulate the qualities of alcoholic beverages. The collection of cases at the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Iceland, which contains examples of each category of adulteration, is the basis of the present article. Especially noteworthy are cases involving the toxic substances methanol and/or ethylene glycol. Methanol has been added to legally produced wines to increase their "bite" and ethylene glycol to increase their sweetness. Adding these substances to wine has resulted in poisoning or death in other countries, but not in Iceland as far as is known.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007055	Iceland	A country in northern Europe, an island between the Greenland Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, northwest of the United Kingdom. The capital is Reykjavik.
D005506	Food Contamination	The presence in food of harmful, unpalatable, or otherwise objectionable foreign substances, e.g. chemicals, microorganisms or diluents, before, during, or after processing or storage.	Food Adulteration,Adulteration, Food,Adulterations, Food,Contamination, Food,Contaminations, Food,Food Adulterations,Food Contaminations
D005515	Food Labeling	Use of written, printed, or graphic materials upon or accompanying a food or its container or wrapper. The concept includes ingredients, NUTRITIONAL VALUE, directions, warnings, and other relevant information.	Labeling, Food,Nutrition Labeling,Product Labeling, Food,Food Labelling,Food Product Labeling,Labeling, Food Product,Labeling, Nutrition,Labelling, Food
D005520	Food Preservatives	Substances capable of inhibiting, retarding or arresting the process of fermentation, acidification or other deterioration of foods.	Preservatives, Food
D005607	Fraud	Exploitation through misrepresentation of the facts or concealment of the purposes of the exploiter.	Fraud, Health Care,Health Care Fraud,Kickbacks,Drug Counterfeiting,Healthcare Fraud,Counterfeiting, Drug,Fraud, Healthcare,Health Care Frauds,Kickback
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000428	Alcohol Drinking	Behaviors associated with the ingesting of ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, including social drinking.	Alcohol Consumption,Alcohol Intake,Drinking, Alcohol,Alcohol Drinking Habits,Alcohol Drinking Habit,Alcohol Intakes,Consumption, Alcohol,Drinking Habit, Alcohol,Habit, Alcohol Drinking,Habits, Alcohol Drinking,Intake, Alcohol
D000432	Methanol	A colorless, flammable liquid used in the manufacture of FORMALDEHYDE and ACETIC ACID, in chemical synthesis, antifreeze, and as a solvent. Ingestion of methanol is toxic and may cause blindness.	Alcohol, Methyl,Carbinol,Sodium Methoxide,Wood Alcohol,Alcohol, Wood,Methoxide, Sodium,Methyl Alcohol
D000434	Alcoholic Beverages	Drinkable liquids containing ETHANOL.	Alcoholic Beverage,Beverage, Alcoholic,Beverages, Alcoholic
D013549	Sweetening Agents	Substances that sweeten food, beverages, medications, etc., such as sugar, saccharine or other low-calorie synthetic products. (From Random House Unabridged Dictionary, 2d ed)	Artificial Sweeteners,Sugar Substitutes,Sweeteners,Agent, Sweetening,Agents, Sweetening,Artificial Sweetener,Substitute, Sugar,Substitutes, Sugar,Sugar Substitute,Sweetener,Sweetener, Artificial,Sweeteners, Artificial,Sweetening Agent