Gulp! Alert on many harmful substances found in beer

Drink less beer, the Consumer Council has urged, after it found harmful substances that can cause headaches, with one variant containing a toxin that leads to nausea and vomiting if too much is consumed.

The watchdog tested 30 beer samples containing alcohol ranging from 3 percent to 8 percent and costing HK$4.50 to HK$50 per can or bottle.

All samples were tested with different types and levels of biogenic amines and two of them - original pale ale from Coopers Brewery and Danish pilsner from Carlsberg - contained five and seven different variants respectively.

Biogenic amines are by-products of the alcohol fermentation process and are generally considered key indicators of the quality, safety and hygiene of alcoholic beverages.

"Excessive intake of biogenic amines could lead to headaches, dizziness, vomiting, breathing disorders and even cerebral hemorrhaging," said Gilly Wong Fung-han, chief executive of the Consumer Council.

"However, it's hard to tell whether people are vomiting because they are drunk or because of their sensitivity to biogenic amines, as symptoms are sometimes very similar."

One sample - Mai Dao Beer from Harbin - was even detected with a mycotoxin called deoxynivalenol, or DON, which is known to cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and fever within 30 minutes after excessive intake.

Wong urged people to avoid drinking beer if possible to reduce the intake of biogenic amines and DON, adding that there are currently no regulations to set an upper limit of biogenic amines in beer either in Hong Kong or internationally.

"People are advised to rethink whether to drink beer," Wong said, adding alcohol is also a toxic substance that can lead to many types of cancers according to the World Health Organization.

She suggested beer drinkers should pay attention to the labeled alcohol concentration when choosing a product and store it at a temperature between five and 10 degrees Celsius.

The watchdog also found that one can or bottle of beer may contain more than 200 kcal - equivalent to one bowl of rice - and people who drink an average of two cans daily will gain more than two kilograms of fat in two months.

It found that the higher the alcohol content, the more calories the beer contains. The council added it found a significant discrepancy in alcohol content from labeling in six samples, with four containing an alcohol content higher than the labeled value by 0.5 percent or more.

In response to the report, Harbin said it did not export the sample beer into Hong Kong and its quality is in line with mainland standards.

Carlsberg said the company has been strictly monitoring the production, storage and transportation of beer and all content meets the international food safety requirements and local food standards.

ayra.wang@singtaonewscorp.com