Potential Effect of Alcohol Content in Energy Drinks on Breath Alcohol Testing

• Published in: Journal of analytical toxicology Vol. 33; no. 3; pp. 167 - 169
• Main Authors: Lutmer, Brian, Zurfluh, Carol, Long, Christopher
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Niles, IL Oxford University Press 01.04.2009; Preston Publications
• Subjects: Alcoholism and acute alcohol poisoning; Beverages - analysis; Biological and medical sciences; Breath Tests; Chromatography, Gas; Ethanol - analysis; False Positive Reactions; Food industries; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Humans; Medical sciences; Non alcoholic beverage industries and mineral waters; Predictive Value of Tests; Time Factors; Toxicology; Human; Expired air; Chemical analysis; False positive; Oral administration; Alcohol; Flame ionization detector; Ingestion; Gas chromatography; Energy drink; Headspace; Alcohol test; Quantitative analysis
• ISSN: 0146-4760; 1945-2403
• DOI: 10.1093/jat/33.3.167

Since the advent of energy drinks in the U.S. marketplace, some defendants have claimed that positive breath alcohol test results have occurred due to the ingestion of non-alcoholic energy drinks. A variety of energy drinks were tested by gas chromatography and some 88.9% (24 of 27) were found to contain low concentrations of ethanol (5–230 mg/dL). Drinks were then consumed (24.6–32 oz) by volunteers to determine the extent of reaction that could be achieved on a portable breath-testing instrument. Eleven of 27 (40.7%) beverages gave positive results on a portable breath-testing instrument (0.006–0.015 g/210 L) when samples were taken within 1 min of the end of drinking. All tests taken by portable breath test, DataMaster, and Intox EC/IR II at least 15 min after the end of drinking resulted in alcohol-free readings (0.000 g/210 L). Affording subjects a minimum 15-min observation period prior to breath-alcohol testing eliminates the possibility that a small false-positive alcohol reading will be obtained.