University of Brasília Advances Rapid Methanol Detection to Combat Adulterated Beverages
The University of Brasília partners with ABDI to create a rapid methanol detection test for alcoholic beverages, aiming to prevent poisoning and improve consumer safety.
- • UnB and ABDI signed an agreement to develop a rapid methanol detection test for alcoholic beverages with a R$382,200 investment.
- • The test uses colorimetric reactions to indicate methanol presence within minutes, reducing detection time to about three minutes.
- • Project builds on over a decade of research initially focused on detecting fuel adulteration.
- • UnB retains intellectual property rights, aiming at commercial and direct consumer applications.
Key details
The University of Brasília (UnB) has partnered with the Brazilian Agency for Industrial Development (ABDI) to develop a rapid, low-cost test for detecting methanol contamination in alcoholic drinks, a crucial step to enhance consumer safety against poisoning. The agreement, signed at UnB's Institute of Chemistry, injects R$382,200 into the initiative, with ABDI covering 88.7% of the funding over a 12-month project period.
This innovative test leverages colorimetric technology that provides visual results in just minutes, significantly shortening detection time from the previous 10-40 minutes range to as little as three minutes. The method is effective across various beverage types and is an advancement of prior research initially focused on identifying fuel adulteration. Importantly, UnB will retain all intellectual property rights stemming from the project.
Rector Rozana Naves highlighted that this collaboration exemplifies the vital role of public universities in driving applied research and innovation in Brazil. Besides optimizing reagents for heightened sensitivity, the project aims to explore commercial applications and potential direct consumer usage, thereby aiming for a widespread impact on beverage safety.
Methanol's high toxicity has been linked to severe health risks, prompting the need for such rapid, simple detection tools to prevent intoxications from adulterated products. This development marks a significant stride in Brazil's public health and consumer protection efforts against unsafe alcoholic beverages.
This article was synthesized and translated from native language sources to provide English-speaking readers with local perspectives.
