Foods that easily create alcohol concentration

Dishes that use alcohol as a spice, fruits with high sugar content or beverages that are easily fermented can all create alcohol concentrations.

Doctor Nguyen Huy Hoang, Vietnam - Russia Hyperbaric Oxygen Center, said that dishes that use alcohol as a seasoning can cause alcoholic breath. For example, some seafood dishes such as beer-steamed fish, beef hotpot with vinegar, beef with wine sauce; dishes that use strong alcohol or wine to prepare such as chicken, pork leg stewed in wine.

Although consuming these foods does not affect driving, it still causes a small amount of alcohol in the breath. About 30 minutes after eating or drinking a lot of water, the body will eliminate all alcohol.

Similarly, Associate Professor Nguyen Duy Thinh, former lecturer at the Institute of Food Technology, Hanoi University of Science and Technology, said that durian, lychee, and longan are fruits that are easily fermented. In particular, durian has a very high sugar content, ripens, and ferments quickly. This enzyme causes a spicy feeling when eaten but is considered good for the digestive system, but consuming too much can cause the body to have alcohol in the breath. In addition, some other fruits can increase the alcohol concentration in the breath such as pineapple and dragon fruit.

Sharing the same view, Dr. Truong Hong Son, Director of the Vietnam Institute of Applied Sciences, acknowledged that in reality, fruits with high sugar content such as durian, jackfruit, banana, and rambutan can all ferment naturally and produce alcohol. However, this amount of alcohol is only in the mouth, through the breath, not in the blood. The alcohol concentration will disappear within about 15-30 minutes depending on the amount you eat.

Additionally, a small number of people with gastroesophageal reflux disease or those with autointoxication syndrome may also test positive on a breath alcohol test.

Fruit-based alcoholic beverages can also increase blood alcohol levels. Although not classified as alcohol, these foods are classified as alcoholic beverages, so people should be careful.

Steamed seafood with beer is one of the dishes that creates alcohol in the body. Photo: Bui Thuy — Steamed seafood with beer is one of the dishes that creates alcohol in the body. Photo: *Bui Thuy*

To avoid inflating the alcohol concentration even though you did not drink alcohol but only ate foods containing alcohol, Dr. Hoang recommends that after eating, you should rest for 30 minutes, rinse your mouth, and drink more water. If the measurement is still high, you can ask the staff to let you rest for another 15 minutes and then measure again.

The World Health Organization (WHO) defines an alcohol unit as follows: One alcohol unit is equivalent to 10 grams of pure ethanol, equal to 200 ml of beer; 75 ml of wine (1 glass); 25 ml of spirits (1 cup). For a healthy adult, on average, the liver will excrete one unit of alcohol every hour.

In general, experts say it is impossible to calculate the absolute time for alcohol elimination because it depends on each person's body and eating habits. The best recommendation is not to drive when drinking alcohol to avoid risks.

Thuy Quynh

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