Counterfeit bottles of Glen’s Vodka in circulation have been found to contain an industrial solvent, consumption of which can be fatal.
Issuing a bulletin to retailers and shoppers on Thursday (5 September) the FSA said some 35cl bottles of Glen’s had been discovered to contain isopropyl alcohol. The substance is not fit for human consumption and can cause death in some extreme cases.
The fake vodka may smell or taste differently to the real thing, the FSA warned.
It comes after Food Standards Scotland (FSS) said it had found bottles of counterfeit Glen’s Vodka in convenience stores in Glasgow and Lanarkshire earlier this week.
“Products sampled were found to contain isopropyl alcohol, so they are unsafe,” the FSA said. “Isopropyl alcohol is an industrial solvent and is not intended for human consumption. Consumption of isopropyl alcohol can quickly lead to alcohol poisoning and in severe cases death.”
Symptoms of alcohol poisoning by isopropyl alcohol include nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain, intoxication, respiratory depression and coma. Cardiovascular collapse is also possible.
As isopropyl alcohol had a “strong odour” it might be possible to detect a contaminated product from smell alone, the FSA said.
“If the vodka has a strong smell, do not consume it. Instead store it in a safe place and report it to your local authority for further instruction and advice,” it cautioned.
Stores or shoppers that had purchased Glen’s Vodka could also check the product for a laser-etched lot code, located between the rear label and the base of the bottle, the agency added.
The absence of this code could indicate the bottle was counterfeit, it said.
After the FSS warning earlier this week, a spokesperson for Glen’s supplier Loch Lomond Group said: “Our priority is the health and safety of the public, which includes our many thousands of loyal Glen’s customers.
“We are working hard to support the excellent efforts of Food Standards Scotland and the other authorities involved to address the matter urgently.”
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