Food Additives & Contaminants
ISSN: 0265-203X (Print) (Online) Journal homepage: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/tfac19
Lead in alcoholic beverages: A second survey G. A. Smart , C. J. Pickford & J. C. Sherlock To cite this article: G. A. Smart , C. J. Pickford & J. C. Sherlock (1990) Lead in alcoholic beverages: A second survey, Food Additives & Contaminants, 7:1, 93-99, DOI: 10.1080/02652039009373825 To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02652039009373825
Published online: 10 Jan 2009.
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Date: 08 November 2015, At: 22:55
FOOD ADDITIVES AND CONTAMINANTS, 1990, VOL. 7, NO. 1, 9 3 - 9 9
Lead in alcoholic beverages: A second survey G. A. SMART, C. J. PICKFORD† and J. C. SHERLOCK Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Ergon House, c/o Nobel House, 17 Smith Square, London SW1P 3JR, UK †Environmental and Medical Sciences Division, AERE, Harwell, Oxfordshire OX11 ORA, UK.
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(Received 25 July 1988; accepted 6 August 1989) Results are presented of a survey of lead in beers and wines. Evidence of low level lead contamination of draught beer was found in an earlier survey conducted previously but remedial action initiated by the Brewers' Society has apparently been successful in reducing this contamination. The position in respect of lead contamination of wine is less satisfactory. Wine poured from bottles which have been fitted with tin-coated lead closures may sometimes become contaminated by deposits of lead salts produced by corrosion of the lead closure. Results of a survey of wines from lead-capped bottles show that for bottles sampled during 1985/1986 the lead concentration in 20 out of 100 samples exceeded 1000 µg/l (equivalent to the statutory limit for lead in wine of 1 mg/kg as sold). Such contamination could give rise to undesirably high intakes of lead. Action being taken to reduce exposure from this source is described. Keywords: Lead, alcoholic beverage, beer, wine, packaging
Introduction
The results of a 1982/1983 survey of lead in wines and beers have been reported previously (Sherlock et al. 1986). About 90% of canned and bottled beers surveyed contained ^10^g/l of lead; nearly half the draught beers sampled contained > 10 j«g/l and 4% contained > 100 /*g/l. All wines sampled directly from the bottle, that is without pouring, contained 30/tg/1) were compared where possible. In many cases it was not possible to purchase the same type of beer when the premises were re-visited; however, the indications were that contamination in the beers sampled in the earlier survey was primarily due to the dispense equipment rather than the source of the beer.
Downloaded by [University of Florida] at 22:55 08 November 2015
Lead in alcoholic beverages
95
Results The data for lead concentrations in beer are given in table 1. For comparison, data from the first study are given. Mean lead levels have fallen since 1982/1983 in all categories where comparison is possible; for example, the mean lead concentrations over all types of beer in 1985/1986 was 9-8 /tg/1 compared to 20 /tg/1 in 1982/1983. The results in table 1 show further that no beers in the present study contained more than 100 /ig/1, whereas in 1982/1983, 3% of the beers exceeded this concentration. Three per cent of the beers sampled in this study had lead concentrations greater than 50^g/l and only 5% greater than 20/tg/l. In the 1982/1983 survey, 16% of the draught beer samples contained lead at concentrations greater than 20 /*g/l. Results in table 2 show that where the same type of beer sample was available from the same place, an apparent decrease in lead levels occurred. In the 1982/1983 survey, contamination appeared to be associated with an individual licensed premise rather than an individual beer. These results suggested that the action initiated by the Brewers' Society had been successful in reducing lead contamination of beer. This action is continuing. Table 1. Concentrations of lead in draught beers. Comparison of present study with 1982/1983 survey. The limit of detection was 5 ^g/1. Results < 5 /ig/1 were taken to be 5 jig/1.
Type of beer
No. of samples
Mean lead concentration (/*g/l)
Present study Bitter Lager Other All
109 32 5 146
11-2 5-6 6-2 9-8
ISSN: 0265-203X (Print) (Online) Journal homepage: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/tfac19
Lead in alcoholic beverages: A second survey G. A. Smart , C. J. Pickford & J. C. Sherlock To cite this article: G. A. Smart , C. J. Pickford & J. C. Sherlock (1990) Lead in alcoholic beverages: A second survey, Food Additives & Contaminants, 7:1, 93-99, DOI: 10.1080/02652039009373825 To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02652039009373825
Published online: 10 Jan 2009.
Submit your article to this journal
Article views: 7
View related articles
Citing articles: 7 View citing articles
Full Terms & Conditions of access and use can be found at http://www.tandfonline.com/action/journalInformation?journalCode=tfac20 Download by: [University of Florida]
Date: 08 November 2015, At: 22:55
FOOD ADDITIVES AND CONTAMINANTS, 1990, VOL. 7, NO. 1, 9 3 - 9 9
Lead in alcoholic beverages: A second survey G. A. SMART, C. J. PICKFORD† and J. C. SHERLOCK Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Ergon House, c/o Nobel House, 17 Smith Square, London SW1P 3JR, UK †Environmental and Medical Sciences Division, AERE, Harwell, Oxfordshire OX11 ORA, UK.
Downloaded by [University of Florida] at 22:55 08 November 2015
(Received 25 July 1988; accepted 6 August 1989) Results are presented of a survey of lead in beers and wines. Evidence of low level lead contamination of draught beer was found in an earlier survey conducted previously but remedial action initiated by the Brewers' Society has apparently been successful in reducing this contamination. The position in respect of lead contamination of wine is less satisfactory. Wine poured from bottles which have been fitted with tin-coated lead closures may sometimes become contaminated by deposits of lead salts produced by corrosion of the lead closure. Results of a survey of wines from lead-capped bottles show that for bottles sampled during 1985/1986 the lead concentration in 20 out of 100 samples exceeded 1000 µg/l (equivalent to the statutory limit for lead in wine of 1 mg/kg as sold). Such contamination could give rise to undesirably high intakes of lead. Action being taken to reduce exposure from this source is described. Keywords: Lead, alcoholic beverage, beer, wine, packaging
Introduction
The results of a 1982/1983 survey of lead in wines and beers have been reported previously (Sherlock et al. 1986). About 90% of canned and bottled beers surveyed contained ^10^g/l of lead; nearly half the draught beers sampled contained > 10 j«g/l and 4% contained > 100 /*g/l. All wines sampled directly from the bottle, that is without pouring, contained 30/tg/1) were compared where possible. In many cases it was not possible to purchase the same type of beer when the premises were re-visited; however, the indications were that contamination in the beers sampled in the earlier survey was primarily due to the dispense equipment rather than the source of the beer.
Downloaded by [University of Florida] at 22:55 08 November 2015
Lead in alcoholic beverages
95
Results The data for lead concentrations in beer are given in table 1. For comparison, data from the first study are given. Mean lead levels have fallen since 1982/1983 in all categories where comparison is possible; for example, the mean lead concentrations over all types of beer in 1985/1986 was 9-8 /tg/1 compared to 20 /tg/1 in 1982/1983. The results in table 1 show further that no beers in the present study contained more than 100 /ig/1, whereas in 1982/1983, 3% of the beers exceeded this concentration. Three per cent of the beers sampled in this study had lead concentrations greater than 50^g/l and only 5% greater than 20/tg/l. In the 1982/1983 survey, 16% of the draught beer samples contained lead at concentrations greater than 20 /*g/l. Results in table 2 show that where the same type of beer sample was available from the same place, an apparent decrease in lead levels occurred. In the 1982/1983 survey, contamination appeared to be associated with an individual licensed premise rather than an individual beer. These results suggested that the action initiated by the Brewers' Society had been successful in reducing lead contamination of beer. This action is continuing. Table 1. Concentrations of lead in draught beers. Comparison of present study with 1982/1983 survey. The limit of detection was 5 ^g/1. Results < 5 /ig/1 were taken to be 5 jig/1.
Type of beer
No. of samples
Mean lead concentration (/*g/l)
Present study Bitter Lager Other All
109 32 5 146
11-2 5-6 6-2 9-8
