The DOI matches its Crossref record; 117 of the 118 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Unrecorded consumption, quality of alcohol and health consequences
Abstract
Issues. This contribution aims to examine systematically the evidence on the impact of the quality of unrecorded alcohol products on health consequences. Approach. Systematic computer assisted review of the literature. Key Findings. There are a number of pathways related to alcohol quality that may lead to acute or chronic health problems. The following constituents and contaminants of alcoholic beverages were identified as likely contributors to these problems: (i) toxic metals (e.g. lead) from contaminated water sources or unsuitable distillation equipment; (ii) volatile constituents, such as acetaldehyde or higher alcohols, which may be produced in significant amounts due to faults in production technology or microbiological spoilage; (iii) ethyl carbamate (urethane), a carcinogenic contaminant with major occurrence in certain fruit and sugarcane spirits; (iv) biologically active flavour compounds (e.g. coumarin in cosmetics used as non‐beverage alcohol); (v) toxic compounds used to denature alcohol (e.g. methanol or diethyl phthalate). In addition, the often higher ethanol content may have detrimental health effects. These pathways should not be assumed as present for all subcategories of unrecorded alcohol, but are more relevant to certain types and geographic regions. Implications. A health impact of unrecorded alcohol over and above the effect of ethanol cannot be excluded. More research is urgently needed, especially with respect to liver disease and alcohol poisoning as endpoints. Conclusion. A feasible approach for new research on the effects of unrecorded alcohol could be based on a representative sample from low socioeconomic regions with high prevalence of unrecorded consumption.[Rehm J, Kanteres F, Lachenmeier DW. Unrecorded consumption, quality of alcohol and health consequences. Drug Alcohol Rev 2010]
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“the overall conclusion of relevant reviews has been that there is not sufficient evidence to link a sizable portion of liver cirrhosis mortality to unrecorded alcohol (290, 291; see also 292).”
From The relationship between different dimensions of alcohol use and the burden of disease—an update (2017) · cites this paper as [290]
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Metadata
- Authors
- REHM, J., KANTERES, F., & LACHENMEIER, D. W.
- Affiliations
- Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CA)
- Chemisches und Veterinäruntersuchungsamt Karlsruhe (DE)
- Corresponding author
- REHM, JÜRGEN
- Venue
- Drug and Alcohol Review
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2010-07
- Volume
- 29
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 426-436
- ISSN
- 0959-5236 (ISSN-L)
- 1465-3362
- OpenAlex
- W1522539929
- Cited by
- 160
- References
- 118
- Citations by year
- 2026: 4 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 8 · 2019: 6 · 2018: 17 · 2017: 13 · 2016: 13 · 2015: 15 · 2014: 9 · 2013: 14 · 2012: 12
- FWCI
- 1.75
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Drug and Alcohol Review (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pathology and Forensic Medicine › Alcohol Consumption and Health Effects
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Substance Abuse Treatment and Outcomes
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Global Public Health Policies and Epidemiology
- Keywords
- unrecorded alcohol, illicit alcohol, alcohol quality, toxic metals, lead contamination, acetaldehyde, higher alcohols, microbial spoilage, ethyl carbamate, coumarins, methanol, diethyl phthalate, alcohol denaturation, ethanol concentration, liver disease, alcohol poisoning, health effects
- MeSH terms
- Alcohol Drinking, Alcoholic Beverages, Animals, Health Status, Humans, Risk Factors, Socioeconomic Factors, Global Health
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