Can foods falsify an alcohol test?

Can foods falsify urine alcohol tests? Scientists have investigated this question in a study and came to the conclusion that fruit juices or sauerkraut increases only insignificantly the EtG value.

Patricated traffic offenders may have to undergo urine tests over and over again to prove that they are not drinking alcohol. Again and again, however, the argument is made that food could falsify the result. But one study has now found that the influence of certain foods on blood levels is much lower than previously thought.

On Monday, the University of Bonn presented a new study, which shows that the influence of foods such as sauerkraut have only a very small influence on the blood picture. Again and again the tested ones claim they only have something „ate wrong“ and therefore the values ​​would be corrupted. But this argument can hardly apply in the future. The researchers investigated whether the current limit value for the alcohol degradation product ethyl glucuronide (EtG) in urine can be exceeded after consumption of certain foods with a low alcohol value. The ethyl glucuronide value can also be determined for a few days after extensive consumption of alcohol in the urine. "Positively tested persons claim again and again that they consumed large quantities of such products shortly before this 24-hour period," reports the Bonn-based law professor Professor Dr. med. Frank Mußhoff. "We have now experimentally verified whether this can actually lead to a limit violation." Thus, the arguments of the parties could be refuted.

Urine sample should determine EtG value and prove whether the person has taken alcohol
For alcohol offenders to prove that they are abstinent, they must take a urine test up to six times a year over the course of half a year. In this test, then the EtG value is determined, which shows how many alcohol the person has drunk. So that the results can not be falsified, the sinners are informed only 24 hours before the urine delivery. Patients are also told that certain foods must not be consumed within 24 hours. These include products such as sauerkraut, ripe bananas, grape juice and non-alcoholic beer. Only when all six test results show that the person has not drunk alcohol, they can get the driver's license again. But if the result is positive, many claim they have eaten sauerkraut or drank grape juice. Exactly this effect the scientists wanted to take a closer look.

The limit is to be maintained
The Bonn study should now clarify how far the limit can actually be exceeded. The study participants drank either up to three liters of non-alcoholic beer, two liters of juice, ate 1.3 kilograms of sauerkraut or 700 grams of bananas. After 30 hours, the EtG limit was only slightly exceeded by 0.1 milligrams per liter of urine. After three to seven hours, the maximum was reached in the subjects, then dropped the EtG value. After 24 hours, the value was well below 0.1 milligrams for all subjects. Thus, the limit does not have to be adjusted because the test results are hardly affected by food or juices. A total of 19 subjects participated in the study. Alcohol sinners now have more of an excuse less to justify an increased level in the urine.

EtG represents an alcohol consumption marker, which can be detected for some time after complete elimination of ethanol from the body. In previous studies, the substance "EtG" in the urine of alcoholics could be detected up to 80 hours. Etg is degraded by the body slower than blood alcohol and is later excreted in the urine. For this reason, the method is best suited to continue to transfer alcohol sinner. (sb, 04.10.2010)

Picture: RainerSturm