Scientists are taking a new approach in the fight against counterfeit alcoholic drinks

In the shadowy world of counterfeit alcoholic beverage production, where profits soar and brands are exploited, the true scale of this illicit market remains shrouded.

Now scientists from the International Center for Brewing and Distilling (ICBD) on the campus of Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, together with Dr. John Edwards of Process NMR Associates, based in New York, is building a database to test, compare and log alcoholic beverages.

The research is included in a new article, titled Worldwide Illicit and Counterfeit Alcoholic Spirits: Problem, Detection, and Prevention, published in the Journal of the American Society of Brewing Chemists.

Let’s transfer the heavy lifting from analytical services to comparative mathematics.

The team has spent the past six months using analytical techniques in the laboratory to detect the chemical fingerprint of hundreds of authentic international spirits, including whisky, tequila, mezcal and bourbon.

Michael Bryan from the ICBD at Heriot-Watt’s School of Engineering and Physical Sciences is leading the research as part of his PhD project. He said: “Once completed, this database will provide in-depth analysis of hundreds of legitimate spirits, and become a source of information to determine the authenticity of a product.

“Currently testing equipment, methodology and personnel are ridiculously expensive, at up to half a million pounds or more. And the analysis equipment is enormous, they can be as big as a car or bigger. So it’s a very difficult process and what I want to do is take a different approach.

“Let’s transfer the heavy lifting from analytical services to comparative mathematics.”

While the production of counterfeit spirits is significant, the paper acknowledges that there is no single solution involving stricter legislation and higher fines that have not been proven to be a significant deterrent. It highlights the need for the development of low-cost methods to determine the authenticity of a product without the need to physically open a bottle.

Working with Process NMR Associates, the scientists use a variety of analytical tools, including near-infrared spectroscopy (NIR), ultraviolet visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy, liquid chromatography (HPLC-DAD) and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR). to determine the chemistry of monster ghosts.

Michael continues: “By having a database of hundreds of spirits, which outlines the legitimacy of a product, we can use cheaper techniques to taste a product. If it doesn’t meet these benchmarks, we can quickly determine that further analysis is needed.

“This will ultimately save time and resources and ensure we focus our efforts on products we suspect are counterfeit.”

The true extent of counterfeit spirits production is unknown, but the World Health Organization estimates that at least 25% of all spirits consumed are illegal. Many other authorities, including the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, estimate this figure at more than 40% in some areas.

Counterfeit spirits are often sold through online marketplaces, social media and black market websites, making them difficult to regulate and allowing sellers to hide their identities. In many cases, the buyer of counterfeit spirits does this voluntarily, often because of affordability.

A major impact of the illegal production of spirits concerns public health. Some counterfeit spirits may contain harmful ingredients, including, in extreme cases, jet fuel or embalming fluid to increase the alcohol concentration. As a result, cases of liver damage, blindness and death result.

Just last year, Iran saw a rise in fatalities from counterfeit alcohol and poisoning in the Alborz region in the north of the country, with 14 deaths and at least 120 additional poisonings.

The economic impact of this illegal trade is significant, with up to 23,400 jobs reported to be lost, eroding the confidence of reputable manufacturers. It costs the EU around €3 billion annually in lost revenue.

As much as 33% of the old and collected Scotch whiskey tested is said to be counterfeit. A figure that was underlined in 2018 when the Scottish Universities Environmental Research Center tested 55 bottles of Scotch whiskey that were old and considered rare. These were obtained from private collectors, auctions and retailers. The test showed that 21 bottles (38%) were counterfeit, and every bottle from before 1900 was found to be counterfeit.

Professor Annie Hill from Heriot-Watt University is the academic supervisor of the project. She said: “The Scotch Whiskey Association is leading the fight against counterfeit whisky, and the Scotch Whiskey Research Institute is a world leader in the detection of counterfeit spirits.

“This document defines the problems and highlights possible solutions and our ongoing research aims to further raise awareness and develop accessible and affordable methods to enable wider detection and identification of illegal spirits.”

Reference: Bryan MA, Hill AE. Globally illegal and counterfeit alcoholic beverages: problem, detection and prevention. J Am Soc Brew Chem. 2024:1-17. doi: 10.1080/03610470.2024.2319934

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