The ersatz vodka may contain isopropyl, which can be toxic to humans
of ConsumerAffairsHome-brew whiskey used to be a thing in the U.S. back in Prohibition but now Scotland is having problems with counterfeit vodka. Food Standards Scotland (FSS) said it found 40 bottles fraudulently labeled as Glen's in convenience stories.
The discovery was made after a customer reported that a product they had purchased smelled of nail polishremover.Lab results confirmed the presence of the chemical isopropyl.
Isopropanol is a toxic alcohol not suitable for human consumption.Ingestion of any amount can lead to toxicity and larger amounts can be fatal.
Onset of symptoms may be immediate or delayed, for up to 30 hours after ingestion.They include nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain, intoxication, respiratory depression, and coma.
There are no effective quality controls or safety protocols within the manufacture of counterfeit alcohol, which is made by serious organized crime groups purely for criminal gain, with complete disregard for the health and safety of consumers, saidPaul Bannister, protective services manager at North Lanarkshire Council,
Consumer advice
FSS is providing additional information to help distinguish between genuine and counterfeit products.
Every genuine bottle of Glens vodka has a laser etched lot code on the bottle between the rear label and the base. The bottle ID, size, and fill height on the base will not vary but the bottle mold number may be different.
A spokesperson for the Loch Lomond Group, which owns Glens Vodka, said: We are working hard to support the excellent efforts of FSS and the other authorities involved to address the matter urgently."
Gordon Mitchell, head of crime operations at FSS, said the smell and bottle differences between the fake and genuine product can help people tell the difference.
As we do not yet know the scale of distribution of these products, but we do know the potential dangers associated with consumption, we are urging consumers once again to be extremely vigilant and to please get in touch if you have any information relating to the counterfeit vodka. We would also remind retailers that they should only be purchasing products from reputable suppliers.
Photo Credit: Consumer Affairs News Department Images
Posted: 2024-09-05 20:43:47
