A breathalyzer check Castilleja de la Cuesta, Sevillehas ended up becoming one of the most striking stories of recent days. The Local Police intercepted a driver after observing several strange maneuvers and, when subjecting him to the test, the result greatly exceeded the permitted limit.
The man came to multiply the maximum alcohol level by four. When the agents asked him about the result, he assured that he had only had gazpacho and pointed to the vinegar in this preparation as a possible culprit.
The explanation did not prevent the Police from continuing with the actions. However, the case leaves behind a curious question. Are there really foods that can influence a breathalyzer even if we have not had a beer, a glass of wine or any other alcoholic beverage?
The answer has nuances. Some foods may contain small amounts of alcohol as a consequence of natural fermentation or the ingredients used in its preparation. In certain circumstances, its consumption just before blowing can occasionally interfere with the measurement.
Very ripe fruits such as bananas and grapes
The very ripe fruits They are one of the most curious examples. As they mature, sugars can undergo natural fermentation processes that generate small amounts of ethanol.
Among the foods in which this phenomenon can occur are: very ripe grapes and bananas. That doesn’t mean that eating a piece of fruit typically causes a comparable rate to having consumed alcohol. To reach high amounts, an intake much higher than usual would be necessary.
The effect that is of interest in a control is mainly that which can occur immediately after consuming certain products, when there may still be residues in the mouth capable of temporarily influencing the exhaled air.
Bread and other fermented foods
He bread It also appears among products that may contain small amounts of alcohol due to the yeast fermentation process. During its production, yeasts transform sugars and generate, among other compounds, ethanol.
He Baking removes much of that alcoholalthough some products may retain small quantities. Something similar happens with other foods whose preparation involves fermentation processes.
The pickles are another example. Depending on how they have been made and preserved, they may contain small amounts of alcohol related to those processes.
Chocolates, desserts and foods that contain alcohol
There are other much more obvious cases. Some chocolates, sweets and desserts They directly incorporate alcoholic beverages among their ingredients. Liqueur-filled chocolates are probably the best-known example.
There are also desserts prepared with rum, brandy, amaretto or other drinks. The final amount depends on both the recipe and the amount ingested and the treatment the food received during its preparation.
In these cases it is no longer just alcohol generated naturally during fermentation. The product itself can incorporate an alcoholic beverage and retain part of its content after production.
The effect may disappear after a few minutes
One of the keys is to differentiate the alcohol momentarily present in the mouth of the alcohol that has passed into the body. Consuming a food with a small amount of ethanol immediately before puffing may temporarily alter a measurement.
For this reason, the information on this phenomenon suggests that allowing at least 15 minutes before performing the test can avoid interference related to fresh traces of certain foods or products.
That also doesn’t make food a valid explanation for any outcome. The amounts of alcohol naturally present in foods are usually small and it would be necessary to consume very high amounts to achieve a significant level in the blood in this way.
And what happens with gazpacho?
The case of Seville has placed the gazpacho at the center of the conversation because it was the food that the driver used to explain his result. According to his version, the vinegar used to prepare it would have been responsible.
However, it is one thing that certain foods can cause small specific interferences and another that any positive effect can be attributed to what has just been eaten. In this specific case, the driver had registered a rate that multiplied by four the maximum allowed.
The story thus serves to focus on a real but very specific phenomenon. Very ripe fruits, fermented products, certain breads and some sweets or desserts may contain small amounts of alcohol. Its effect on a test may depend on the product, the amount consumed and, especially, the time elapsed since it was ingested.