Type Of Alcoholic Beverage Research Articles

Catalytic removal of acetaldehyde in saliva by a Gluconobacter strain

Acetaldehyde (AA) accumulates in the oral cavity after alcohol intake and is responsible for an increased risk of alcohol-related upper aerodigestive tract (UDAT) cancer among aldehyde dehydrogenase 2-inactive heterozygotes in particular. Thus, the removal of AA from the saliva to a level below its mutagenic concentration (50 μM) after drinking is a potentially straightforward method for reducing the risk of alcohol-related UDAT cancer. Although microbial cells with AA-decomposing activity could potentially serve as a useful agent for the catalytic removal of AA from the saliva without the supplemental addition of cofactors, these cells generally exhibit strong AA-producing activity from ethanol, which is present in excess (50mM) over AA (100 μM) in the saliva after drinking. In this study, we observed that Gluconobacter kondonii (GK) cells efficiently decomposed salivary AA (100-390 μM) without the supplemental addition of cofactors irrespective of the type of alcoholic beverages consumed, even in the presence of an excess of ethanol (63 mM). Hydrogen peroxide, which is carcinogenic in animal experiments, was not produced because of the AA removal. The GK cells incubated at 45 °C and pH 3.5 for 15 h were killed, but they retained 80% of their original AA-decomposing activity. The treated cells were used as nonviable microcapsules that harbor a membrane-bound AA-decomposing activity.

Cigarette Smoking, Alcohol Consumption, and Risk of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: A Case-control Study in a Japanese Population

Cigarette smoking may be associated with increased risk of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), whereas the role of alcohol consumption is unknown. We examined the association between SLE risk and smoking or drinking. We investigated the relationship of smoking and drinking compared to SLE risk among 171 SLE cases and 492 healthy controls in female Japanese subjects. Unconditional logistic regression was used to compute OR and 95% CI, with adjustments for several covariates. Compared with nonsmoking, current smoking was significantly associated with increased risk of SLE (OR 3.06, 95% CI 1.86-5.03). The higher the level of exposure to cigarette smoke, the higher the risk of SLE. Inhalation was also associated with increased SLE risk (OR 3.73, 95% CI 1.46-9.94 for moderate inhalation; OR 3.06, 95% CI 1.81-5.15 for deep inhalation). In contrast, light/moderate alcohol consumption had a protective effect on SLE risk (OR 0.38, 95% CI 0.19-0.76). As for beer, the risks for non-beer drinkers and beer drinkers were similar. This also applies to alcoholic beverages other than beer. Our results suggest that smoking was positively associated with increased SLE risk whereas light/moderate alcohol consumption was inversely associated with SLE risk, irrespective of the type of alcoholic beverage. Additional studies are warranted to confirm these findings.

Do lifestyle choices explain the effect of alcohol on bone mineral density in women around menopause?

Moderate alcohol consumption has been shown to be positively associated with increased bone mineral density (BMD). However, other lifestyle choices have also been shown to have an effect on bone health. The objective was to examine the association between alcohol intake and BMD in women around menopause in the United Kingdom and to determine whether any association is independent of other lifestyle choices. A cross-sectional study design was used to examine the relation between alcohol intake and BMD in a cohort of 3218 women aged 50-62 y from the Aberdeen Prospective Osteoporosis Screening Study. Women were grouped into clusters according to their lifestyle choices. ANCOVA was used to examine the effect of categorized alcohol intake on BMD adjusted for cluster of lifestyle and other baseline covariates. The ANCOVA was repeated for different types of alcoholic beverage (eg, beer, liquor, and wine) separately. Three lifestyle clusters were identified and were based on different levels of the following 3 factors: smoking pack-years, fruit and vegetable intakes, and physical activity. In the lifestyle-adjusted models, women who consumed >1 drink/d of alcohol had a significantly greater femoral neck BMD (P = 0.008) and lumbar spine BMD (P = 0.007) than did those who never consumed alcohol. For separate alcoholic drinks, only beer had a positive significant effect on lumbar spine BMD after adjustment for lifestyle (P = 0.005). Moderate alcohol intake appears to be positively associated with BMD independently of the type of lifestyle led by women around menopause.

Application of Mid-infrared Spectroscopy for the Measurement of Several Quality Parameters of Alcoholic Beverages, Wine and Raki

Mid-infrared (IR) spectroscopy, which is a rapid and relatively small amount of waste producing technique, was used to predict several quality parameters of two types of alcoholic beverages, wine and raki. Mid-infrared spectra of red, rose and white wines and a traditional aniseed alcoholic beverage, raki were collected and relations were established between measured chemical parameters (pH, brix, total phenol content, anthocyanin content, titratable acidity, sugar content, electrical conductivity and some colour parameters) of these beverages and their infrared spectra using chemometric techniques. Partial least square regression provided excellent prediction of total phenol (R 2 = 0.97) and anthocyanin contents (R 2 = 0.98) of wine samples and a good prediction of pH (R 2 = 0.9), brix (R 2 = 0.92) and colour intensity (R 2 = 0.93) values were obtained. Brix, total phenol and sugar content of raki samples were also estimated very successfully (R 2 = 0.99) for raki and good prediction was obtained with pH value. Mid-IR spectroscopy in combination with chemometrics could be a promising technique for determination of several quality parameters of alcoholic beverages simultaneously and rapidly.

Effects of alcohol taxes on alcohol-related disease mortality in New York State from 1969 to 2006

ObjectiveThe relationship of increased alcohol taxes to reductions in alcohol-related harm is well established. Few studies, however, have examined the effects of sudden decreases in alcohol tax rates or effects of narrow tax changes limited to specific beverage types. In the current study, we: (1) examine whether tax increases on spirits have similar effects in reducing alcohol-related disease mortality as increasing taxes on all types of alcoholic beverages simultaneously, and (2) evaluate effects of beer-specific tax decreases in New York State on mortality. MethodWe used a time-series, quasi-experimental research design, including non-alcohol deaths within New York State and other states’ rates of alcohol-related disease mortality for comparison. The dataset included 456 monthly observations of mortality in New York State over a 38-year period (1969–2006). We used a random-effects approach and included several other important covariates. ResultsAlcohol-related disease mortality declined by 7.0% after a 1990 tax increase for spirits and beer. A spirits-only tax increase (in 1972) was not significantly associated with mortality but a data anomaly increased error in this effect estimate. Small tax decreases on beer between 1996 and 2006 had no measurable effect on mortality. Doubling the beer tax from $0.11 to $0.22 per gallon, a return to New York State's 1990 levels, would decrease deaths by an estimated 250 deaths per year. ConclusionsExcise tax increases on beer and spirits were associated with reductions in alcohol-related disease mortality. Modifying tax rates on a single beverage type does not appear to be as effective as doing so on multiple alcoholic beverages simultaneously. In New York, small decreases in beer taxes were not significantly associated with alcohol-related disease mortality.

Assessment of the Average Price and Ethanol Content of Alcoholic Beverages by Brand—United States, 2011

There are no existing data on alcoholic beverage prices and ethanol (EtOH) content at the level of alcohol brand. A comprehensive understanding of alcohol prices and EtOH content at the brand level is essential for the development of effective public policy to reduce alcohol use among underage youth. The purpose of this study was to comprehensively assess alcoholic beverage prices and EtOH content at the brand level. Using online alcohol price data from 15 control states and 164 online alcohol stores, we estimated the average alcohol price and percent alcohol by volume for 900 brands of alcohol, across 17 different alcoholic beverage types, in the United States in 2011. There is considerable variation in both brand-specific alcohol prices and EtOH content within most alcoholic beverage types. For many types of alcohol, the within-category variation between brands exceeds the variation in average price and EtOH content among the several alcoholic beverage types. Despite differences in average prices between alcoholic beverage types, in 12 of the 16 alcoholic beverage types, customers can purchase at least 1 brand of alcohol that is under $1 per ounce of EtOH. Relying on data or assumptions about alcohol prices and EtOH content at the level of alcoholic beverage type is insufficient for understanding and influencing youth drinking behavior. Surveillance of alcohol prices and EtOH content at the brand level should become a standard part of alcohol research.

Nontargeted NMR Analysis To Rapidly Detect Hazardous Substances in Alcoholic Beverages

Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy is introduced for the analysis of alcoholic beverages in the context of governmental health and safety control. For sample preparation of all types of alcoholic beverages, only addition of buffer is required as single step. To detect potentially unsafe samples especially in the context of unrecorded alcohol (i.e., illegally or informally produced alcohol), a nontargeted approach based on principal component analysis (PCA) was applied. The PCA scores plot of 304 samples clearly shows seven conspicuous samples with highly divergent scores from the rest of the samples. These samples contained hazardous substances such as diethyl phthalate or polyhexamethyleneguanidine, as well as extremely high concentrations of methanol or ethyl carbamate. In addition to the nontargeted approach, partial least squares regression allowed us to quantify several parameters such as methanol, higher alcohols, 2-phenyl alcohol and ethyl acetate with high correlation to gas chromatographic reference analysis (R2 = 0.92−0.98).

Effect of type of alcoholic beverage in causing acute pancreatitis (Br J Surg 2011; 98: 1609–1616)

Effect of type of alcoholic beverage in causing acute pancreatitis (<i>Br J Surg</i> 2011; 98: 1609–1616)

Author's reply: Effect of type of alcoholic beverage in causing acute pancreatitis (Br J Surg 2011; 98: 1609–1616)

Author's reply: Effect of type of alcoholic beverage in causing acute pancreatitis (<i>Br J Surg</i> 2011; 98: 1609–1616)

The association of alcohol consumption with metabolic syndrome and its individual components: the Taichung community health study

Alcohol has both adverse and protective effects on the individual components of metabolic syndrome (MS). We hypothesize that alcohol consumption increases the risk of developing MS and that the consumption of different types of alcoholic beverages has different effects on the development of MS and its individual components. We enrolled 2358 men for this cross-sectional study. The data were collected from self-reported nutrition and lifestyle questionnaires. Individuals who drank at least once per week for 6 consecutive months were classified as current drinkers. Current drinkers were at a higher risk of developing MS, abdominal obesity, and high triglyceride levels, but they were at a lower risk of developing low levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C). The increased risk of developing MS, high triglyceride, and high fasting glucose levels was dose dependent, whereas low HDL-C levels demonstrated a reverse relationship. The dose needed to reduce the risk of having low HDL-C levels was ≧50 g/d. This dose, however, resulted in an increased risk of developing high fasting glucose and high triglyceride levels. Consuming mixed types of alcohol increased the risk of developing MS and abdominal obesity. Meanwhile, those who drank liquor or wine had a greater risk of developing high triglyceride or high fasting glucose levels, respectively. In conclusion, alcohol consumption dose-dependently increased the risk of developing MS and some of its individual components while dose-dependently decreasing the risk of developing low HDL-C levels. The type of alcoholic beverage had different effects on the development of the individual components of MS.

Trends and Social Differences in Alcohol Consumption during the Postcommunist Transition in Lithuania

The aim of the study was to evaluate the trends and social differences in consumption of various types of alcoholic beverages in Lithuania over the postcommunist transition period (1994–2010). The data were obtained from nine nationally representative postal surveys of Lithuanian population aged 20–64 conducted every second year (n = 17154). Prevalence of regular (at least once a week) consumption of beer, wine, or strong alcoholic beverages and the amount of alcohol consumed per week were examined. Regular beer drinking as well as the amounts consumed increased considerably in both genders. The increase in regular consumption of strong alcohol was found among women. Sociodemographic patterning of regular alcohol drinking was more evident in women than in men. In women, young age and high education were associated with frequent regular drinking of wine and beer. Social differences in regular alcohol drinking should be considered in further development of national alcohol control policy in Lithuania.

Quantitative and qualitative assessment of university students' definitions of binge drinking.

This study was designed to assess undergraduates' (N = 424) definitions of binge drinking and to evaluate whether the number of drinks they said comprise a binge varied as a function of beverage type, respondent gender, and respondent binge drinking status. When asked to designate the specific number of drinks that comprise a binge for each of four beverage types, students reported that the number of beers constituting a binge was significantly larger than the number of glasses of wine, shots of hard liquor, and servings of any combination of alcoholic beverage types; men reported that a larger number of drinks constitute a binge than did women; and those who had engaged in 3 or more binges in the past 2 weeks reported that more drinks comprise a binge than those who had binged less often. Responses to an open-ended question asking their definition of a binge revealed that students sometimes characterize a binge in terms of motivations for and unhealthy consequences of drinking, in addition to defining a binge as comprising consumption of a large amount of alcohol in a limited (though often unspecified) time period. Furthermore, students attributed their open-ended definitions of binge drinking to informal sources of information and observation of others' drinking almost as often as they did to school-based or media-based sources. This suggests that educators might look for innovative ways to use both formal and informal social networking, and video illustrations of restrained drinking, as ways to influence young people's views of binge drinking.

Effect of type of alcoholic beverage in causing acute pancreatitis (Br J Surg 2011; 98: 1609–1616)

Effect of type of alcoholic beverage in causing acute pancreatitis (<i>Br J Surg</i> 2011; 98: 1609–1616)

Author's reply: Effect of type of alcoholic beverage in causing acute pancreatitis (Br J Surg 2011; 98: 1609–1616)

Author's reply: Effect of type of alcoholic beverage in causing acute pancreatitis (<i>Br J Surg</i> 2011; 98: 1609–1616)

Alcohol Consumption Patterns, Beverage Type, and Long-Term Mortality Among Women Survivors of Acute Myocardial Infarction

Although moderate alcohol drinkers have lower rates of incident coronary artery disease than abstainers, much less is known about the health effects of different patterns of alcohol use in women with established coronary artery disease. In the Determinants of Myocardial Infarction Onset Study, 1,253 women hospitalized for acute myocardial infarction (MI) at 64 centers nationwide from 1989 to 1996 were followed for mortality through December 31, 2007. Of the women, 761 (61%) reported abstention in the year before their MIs, 280 (22%) reported consumption of <1 serving/week, 75 (6%) reported consumption of 1 to 3 servings/week, and 137 (11%) reported consumption of ≥3 servings/week. Using Cox proportional-hazards models, the associations between total weekly volume of consumption, drinking days per week, drinks per drinking day, and beverage type with 10-year mortality were investigated, adjusting for clinical and socioeconomic potential confounders. Compared with abstention, adjusted hazard ratios were 0.66 (95% confidence interval 0.50 to 0.86) for <1 serving/week, 0.65 (95% confidence interval 0.38 to 1.11) for 1 to 3 servings/week, and 0.65 (95% confidence interval 0.38 to 1.11) for ≥3 servings/week (p for trend = 0.008). No differences were found by beverage type, and generally inverse associations of drinking frequency and quantity with mortality were found. In conclusion, in women who survive MI, moderate drinking is associated with a decreased risk for mortality, with no clear differences on the basis of pattern or beverage type. These results suggest that women who survive MI need not abstain from alcohol, but any derived benefit would appear to occur well below currently recommended limits in alcohol consumption.

Alcohol consumption and gastric cancer risk in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) cohort

Gastric cancer (GC) is the second leading cause of cancer death worldwide. The association between alcohol consumption and GC has been investigated in numerous epidemiologic studies with inconsistent results. We evaluated the association between alcohol consumption and GC risk. We conducted a prospective analysis in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) cohort, which included 444 cases of first primary gastric adenocarcinoma. HRs and 95% CIs for GC were estimated by using multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression for consumption of pure ethanol in grams per day, with stratification by smoking status, anatomic subsite (cardia, noncardia), and histologic subtype (diffuse, intestinal). In a subset of participants, results were further adjusted for baseline Helicobacter pylori serostatus. Heavy (compared with very light) alcohol consumption (≥60 compared with 0.1-4.9 g/d) at baseline was positively associated with GC risk (HR: 1.65; 95% CI: 1.06, 2.58), whereas lower consumption amounts (<60 g/d) were not. When we analyzed GC risk by type of alcoholic beverage, there was a positive association for beer (≥30 g/d; HR: 1.75; 95% CI: 1.13, 2.73) but not for wine or liquor. Associations were primarily observed at the highest amounts of drinking in men and limited to noncardia subsite and intestinal histology; no statistically significant linear dose-response trends with GC risk were observed. Heavy (but not light or moderate) consumption of alcohol at baseline (mainly from beer) is associated with intestinal-type noncardia GC risk in men from the EPIC cohort.

Lack of Evidence for a Causal Association Between the Type of Alcoholic Beverage and the Incidence of Acute Pancreatitis

Lack of Evidence for a Causal Association Between the Type of Alcoholic Beverage and the Incidence of Acute Pancreatitis

Study of Acute Alcohol Poisoning in Children Admitted to a Emergency Hospital Pirogov in Sofia, Bulgaria

Aim: The aim of the current study is to analyze the medical and social dimensions of acute alcohol poisoning in children with regard of improving prevention of addictive habitis and develop effective preventative strategies for reducing underage alcohol consumption. Material and Methods: We have studied the patients at the age up to 18 years with acute alcohol poisoning hospitalized in the Children Toxicology Department of Emergency Hospital Pirogov, Sofia, Bulgaria, from January 1, 2007 to June 31, 2008. All of them were at teen years – between 12 and 17 years old. Data on children were retrived from hospital medical records (age, sex, level of consciousness, blood ethanol level). The initial blood ethanol level was measured on admission by thin-layer chromatography for each patient. We have used the inquiry method - specially created for the purpose of the survey questionnaire comprising 39 questions (location and the reason for drinking, type of alcoholic beverage, age at first drink, combination alcohol-illicit drug, type of family, education and employment of parents, frequency of alcohol consumption by parents, consecutiveness of the children in family, presence of siblings, presence of children in a single room, interests etc.). Psychiatric interview was used. Results: We have studied 137 children with acute alcohol poisoning. Average age of children intoxicated by alcohol was 14.91±1.45 years. 77 (56.2%) are boys and 60 (43.8%) girls. The results demonstrate tendency of increase of the poisonings in weekends and in late afternoon and evening. On admission to hospital most of them had different levels of depressed consciousness: 61.3% were somnolent, 28.5% were soporous and 5.1% were comatose. Blood ethanol level was over 2.00 mg/ml in 40.2%. In the 21 (15.3%) cases children have been poisoned at the first alcohol consumption. No repeated hospitalization for acute alcohol poisoning in the study group for that period has been registered. Combination alcohol-illicit drug was observed in 13 children (9.5%). Children most often used one type of alcoholic beverage. The most frequent alcoholic beverage leading to intoxication is the vodka (63.1%). 64% of the children come from complete families. Both parents have secondary education in 79.7% and in 53.3% both parents are employed. 60% were the first born child in the family. First alcohol consuption was at the12 years and 10 months for boys, and at 13 years for girls. The most frequent reason for alcohol consumption was meeting and communicing with friends. The students have approximately 1.20 euro daily. Conlusion: Influence of “the group” is the main cause of alcohol consumption in adolescence. There is no increasing tendency for combining alcohol with other psychoactive drugs. We consider the brief intervention prior to hospital discharge as a preventive factor for repeated poisonings.

Effect of type of alcoholic beverage in causing acute pancreatitis

The effect of different alcoholic beverages and drinking behaviour on the risk of acute pancreatitis has rarely been studied. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of different types of alcoholic beverage in causing acute pancreatitis. A follow-up study was conducted, using the Swedish Mammography Cohort and Cohort of Swedish Men, to study the association between consumption of spirits, wine and beer and the risk of acute pancreatitis. No patient with a history of chronic pancreatitis was included and those who developed pancreatic cancer during follow-up were excluded. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate rate ratios. In total, 84,601 individuals, aged 46-84 years, were followed for a median of 10 years, of whom 513 developed acute pancreatitis. There was a dose-response association between the amount of spirits consumed on a single occasion and the risk of acute pancreatitis. After multivariable adjustments, there was a 52 per cent (risk ratio 1·52, 95 per cent confidence interval 1·12 to 2·06) increased risk of acute pancreatitis for every increment of five standard drinks of spirits consumed on a single occasion. The association weakened slightly when those with gallstone-related pancreatitis were excluded. There was no association between consumption of wine or beer, frequency of alcoholic beverage consumption including spirits, or average total monthly consumption of alcohol (ethanol) and the risk of acute pancreatitis. The risk of acute pancreatitis was associated with the amount of spirits consumed on a single occasion but not with wine or beer consumption.

Alcohol consumption and body weight: a systematic review

Based on the fact that energy content in 1 gram of alcohol is 29 kJ or 7.1 kcal, alcohol consumption can lead to weight gain. The present review was conducted to analyze the effects of alcohol consumption on body weight. A search of the Medline database for the period 1984 to March 2010 was conducted to identify cross-sectional, prospective cohort studies and intervention trials investigating the relationship between alcohol consumption and the risk of weight gain. Thirty-one publications were selected on the basis of relevance and quality of design and methods. The findings from large cross-sectional studies as well as from well-powered, prospective, cohort studies with long periods of follow-up were contradictory. Findings from short-term experimental trials also did not show a clear trend. The overall results do not conclusively confirm a positive association between alcohol consumption and weight gain; however, positive findings between alcohol intake and weight gain have been reported, mainly from studies with data on higher levels of drinking. It is, therefore, possible that heavy drinkers may experience such an effect more commonly than light drinkers. Moreover, light-to-moderate alcohol intake, especially wine intake, may be more likely to protect against weight gain, whereas consumption of spirits has been positively associated with weight gain. Further research should be directed towards assessing the specific roles of different types of alcoholic beverages. Studies should also take the effect of consumption patterns into account. In addition, a potential effect modifier that has not been evaluated before but might be important to consider is the subjects' previous tendency to gain weight.