Beer Poisoning - Symptoms, First Aid, Treatment, Consequences

2024 Author: Rachel Wainwright | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 07:39

Beer poisoning

Beer is a popular low-alcohol drink (1–14% vol.), A fermentation product of malt (usually barley) wort. Fermentation takes place using brewer's yeast. The average strength of the drink varies in the range of 3–6% vol., The amount of ethyl alcohol in light varieties is 1-2, and in strong ones - up to 14% vol. Non-alcoholic varieties, despite the name, contain up to 1% ethanol, since technologically its complete removal is not possible.

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Barley is considered a traditional raw material for the preparation of the drink; wheat, rye, rice, corn are also used. Banana, vegetable, fruit, dairy, and herbal beers are popular in some cultures.

The processing method distinguishes between pasteurized and unpasteurized, filtered and unfiltered beer. The shelf life of a pasteurized drink that has undergone appropriate heat treatment is six months maximum, unpasteurized - no more than a month at a temperature of 2 to 12 ºС, more often from 5 to 7 days. Unpasteurized beer often undergoes a filtration process to remove excess yeast and particulate contaminants, thereby extending shelf life.

Beer has a number of positive qualities: high content of vitamins (B ₂, B ₆, B ₁₂, biotin, nicotinic, folic and pantothenic acid), trace elements (potassium, calcium, magnesium, silicon, phosphorus, sulfur) and antioxidants, as well as soluble fiber thereby reducing the risk of certain diseases. Nevertheless, the negative consequences of systematic consumption of the drink are much more significant: beer alcoholism, impaired renal function, acute intoxication (due to the use of synthetic foam stabilizers).

How does beer poisoning happen?

Beer poisoning is possible due to its inadequate quality or with excessive consumption, when acute alcohol intoxication develops.

Typically, beer poisoning develops for the following reasons:

• drinking a drink that has expired;
• violation of storage and transportation standards;
• violation of sanitary and epidemiological requirements for the sale of the drink.

The greatest danger from the point of view of possible poisoning by a poor-quality product is posed by small-scale trade pavilions selling draft beer. Since the drink in such stores is stored in kegs, it is necessary to comply with a number of strict requirements to maintain the proper quality of beer: temperature from 10 to 20 ºС (optimally 15 ºС), ensuring adequate ventilation, daily flushing of the beverage supply system, preventing the accumulation of beer residues in the supply line after the end of the shift, no technical damage in the system. The container into which the drink is poured must be disposable, pouring beer into your own container is unacceptable. It is extremely important that the seller has a health book confirming the absence of socially dangerous infectious diseases. Obviouslythat it is very difficult for the buyer to control compliance with all conditions.

After the expiration of the guaranteed shelf life, bacteria begin to multiply in the drink, which can lead to food intoxication.

There is a possibility of poisoning with beer purchased in large retail chains if it was stored or transported in violation of the relevant standards before being displayed in the sales area.

Poisoning symptoms

Beer poisoning is characterized by:

• acute onset 2–6 hours after drinking;
• nausea, repeated vomiting;
• loose stools (several to 10 times a day or more);
• cramping abdominal pain;
• an increase in body temperature to subfebrile numbers, less often up to 38-39 ºС (usually short-term, up to a day);
• chills, general weakness;
• headache, dizziness.

An objective examination reveals pallor of the skin (in severe cases, peripheral cyanosis is possible), cold extremities, tenderness to palpation in the stomach, around the navel, sometimes in the right hypochondrium, increased heart rate, lower blood pressure. Symptoms in most cases stop after 1–3 days. In severe poisoning, manifestations of dyspeptic and intoxication syndromes persist for 3-5 days, complications may develop in the form of acute lesions of various organs.

In addition to food poisoning, alcohol poisoning is possible when drinking beer, which will have similar symptoms. A distinctive feature is the presence of intoxication and neurological manifestations (disorientation, discoordination, unsteadiness of gait, slurred speech, changes in emotional reactions).

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First aid for beer poisoning

1. Gastric lavage with 1-1.5 liters of warm water or a light pink solution of potassium permanganate, for which you need to drink the liquid and, by pressing on the root of the tongue, provoke an emetic urge. Repeat the procedure several times until clean wash water appears.
2. Reception of enterosorbents (Activated carbon, Enterosgel, Polysorb, Lactofiltrum).
3. Taking saline laxatives (magnesium sulfate).
4. Replenishment of fluid lost with loose stools and vomiting (saline solutions Regidron, Hydrovit, Oralit or weak black tea without sugar, water - often in small portions).

When is medical attention required?

Qualified assistance is needed if:

• against the background of urgent measures, the victim's condition worsens or remains stably unsatisfactory;
• neurological symptoms appeared (intense headache, discoordination, visual or speech disorders, convulsions);
• there are traces of blood in the vomit or feces;
• symptoms of dehydration appeared (dry mouth, decreased blood pressure, decreased urination);
• vomiting or diarrhea becomes uncontrollably exhausting;
• a child, elderly person or pregnant woman is injured.

Possible consequences

In the recovery period, the victim must adhere to a strict diet, eating fractionally, often, refusing to use seasonings, spices, fried, spicy and salty foods.

A complication of the postponed poisoning can be a reactive inflammation of the pancreas, liver, biliary tract, kidneys, intestines. Against the background of acute intoxication, existing chronic diseases may worsen. The most common complication is a violation of the intestinal microflora, dysbiosis.

Prevention

To prevent beer poisoning, the following recommendations must be observed:

• when buying a drink, give preference to large specialized retail chains;
• do not buy beer with an expired expiration date, with damaged or illegible markings, with drips and sticky marks on the container;
• do not buy a drink in hot weather in small retail outlets that are not equipped with refrigerators;
• take into account that the presence of turbidity and sediment is allowed only in unfiltered beer;
• refrain from purchasing draft beer, if there are doubts about the cleanliness of containers and equipment, if the seller cannot present accompanying documentation for the product.

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Olesya Smolnyakova Therapy, clinical pharmacology and pharmacotherapy About the author

Education: higher, 2004 (GOU VPO "Kursk State Medical University"), specialty "General Medicine", qualification "Doctor". 2008-2012 - Postgraduate student of the Department of Clinical Pharmacology, KSMU, Candidate of Medical Sciences (2013, specialty "Pharmacology, Clinical Pharmacology"). 2014-2015 - professional retraining, specialty "Management in education", FSBEI HPE "KSU".

The information is generalized and provided for informational purposes only. At the first sign of illness, see your doctor. Self-medication is hazardous to health!