The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has issued a warning to the public about fake bottles of Glen’s Vodka that have been found to contain isopropyl alcohol, an industrial solvent that can cause death in severe cases. Some 35cl counterfeit bottles have been discovered, which could have a strange smell and taste differently to genuine vodka.
Food Standards Scotland had, earlier this week, warned that fake Glen’s Vodka had been found in local convenience stores in Glasgow and Lanarkshire. The FSA, which covers England, Wales and Northern Ireland, said in a statement that it had been made aware of the production and distribution of counterfeit vodka labelled as Glen’s Vodka. “Products sampled were found to contain isopropyl alcohol, so they are unsafe”, said the statement. Drinking the solvent “can quickly lead to alcohol poisoning and in severe cases death”, it added.
Consumers are being advised to check for a “laser etched lot code applied to the bottle between the rear label and the base of the bottle”. The FSA says that isopropyl has “a strong odour and it may be possible to detect contaminated products by smell alone”. “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”, the agency said.
A spokesperson for the Loch Lomond Group, which owns Glen’s Vodka, 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.” The issue is not unique to the UK, as discovered by other agencies, including the US FDA, this year
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