Health riskAlcohol-related health r

Health risk

Alcohol-related health risks

Alcohols have been identified as a major risk factor for global burden of diseases (Rehm et al., 2003). Consumption of the indigenous or homemade alcoholic foods and beverages are normally unrecorded. It is important to obtain a scientific database on the alcohol content of the homemade/ traditional fermented beverages and foods in order to study and control the health-risk caused by alcohol consumption in the specific region. Higher alcohols
(alcohol with more than 2 carbon atoms) occur naturally in alcoholic beverages as metabolites from bacterial activities. Higher alcohols are important flavor compounds and have been treated as generally recognized as safe (GRAS). However, issues have been raised recently about the percentage of higher alcohols in homemade alcohol products as few studies indicated that the presence of higher alcohol might lead to higher incidents of liver diseases (Narawane et al., 1998; Lal et al., 2001).

Traditional brew is commonly made from fruits, vegetables, grains or palm sap by the local people in home and villages. As compared with the Middle
East and Europe which uses mostly fruits as the raw material to produce indigenous alcoholic beverages, Southeast Asia region tend to produce alcoholic beverages from cereals especially rice and also from the palm sap (Lee and Lee, 2002). Although distilled alcohols, wine and beer are readily available in the market, traditional alcohol continued to be widely used due to the availability of the raw materials, ease of fermentation process and affordability of the community (Nordlund and Osterberg, 2000).


Popular fermented foods and beverages in Southeast Asia 481


It is believed that traditional brews are commonly consumed by the people in the region but remain unrecorded (WHO, 2004). There is variation in drinking pattern in developing countries such as in South-East Asia. Distilled alcohols and wine generally consumed in urban area and by more affluent group. On the other hand, traditional brews (such as fermented grain or palm sap) are normally consumed by poorer population and distributed in more urban area (Patel, 2007). Local brews commonly consumed by the local community in some Southeast Asia region are listed in Table 2.

Table 2. List of local brews in Southeast Asia Countries

Country Local brews
Bangladesh Bangla Mada, Cholai Taria
Bhutan Araa
India Arracka, Desia Sharaba, Taria, Tharraa, Toddya, Fennya
Indonesia Palm Winea
Nepal Raksia, Tadia, Chayang Tomba
Sri Lanka Toddya, Arracka
Thailand Ooua, Namtanmaoa, Sartha Waarka Sato d, Krachae d
Malaysia Tuakb, Tapai Sabahb , Arracka, Samsua
Philippines Tapuyc , Ruou nep thand
a: WHO, 2004, b: Chiang et al., 2006, c: Blandino et al.,2003, d: Aidoo et al., (2006)

Palm based fermented products

The fermented palm sap is commonly known as toddy. Verma and Joshi (2000) defined toddy as the product formed from fermentation of palm sap, which contained about 7% (v/v) of ethanol. Ethanol content of a naturally fermented coconut palm sap reached maximum (approximately 9% v/v) after 5 days fermentation (Atputharajah et al. 1986). Joshi et al. (1989) also stated that 9% (v/v) ethanol produced from natural fermentation of a fresh cut sap with
10–18% (w/w) sugar. Freshly prepared toddy has an average alcohol content of 7.9%. For commercial toddy or palm wine, alcohol content ranged from 3 to 7% (v/v) for fermented palm sap and 20-40% (v/v) for the distilled (Bennett et al., 1998). Complete higher alcohol profiling of local surrogate such as rice wine and toddy in Southeast Asia region is still yet to be developed.

Rice based fermented products

Coronel et al. (1981) analyzed tapuy made from fourteen Philippine rice varieties. Result indicated the ethanol content of tapuy ranges from 12.0 to 13.3% (v/v). Tanimura et al. (1978) reported that ethanol content of tapuy ranges from 13.50 -19.10 % (v/v).

Dung et al. (2007) stated that the alcohol content of Vietnamese rice wines varies with some even reached almost 15 % (v/v); and those by distillation, contained approximately 50% (v/v) ethanol. Lachenmeier et al. (2009) collected and analyzed the homemade/ unrecorded fermented alcohol product such as rice alcohol and found the majority had alcohol



International Food Research Journal 18: 475-484

482 Law, S. V., Abu Bakar, F., Mat Hashim, D. and Abdul Hamid, A.



contents between 30 and 40% (v/v). Tapai (a Sabah’s fermented rice beverage) contained approximately 12.3% (v/v) after 3 weeks fermentation (Chiang et al., 2006). Lachenmeier et al. (2009) investigated both homemade and commercial alcohol products in Vietnam and reported the presence of higher alcohols such as 1-propanol, 1-butanol and isobutanols.

Hasil (Bahasa Indonesia) 1:

Resiko kesehatanRisiko kesehatan yang berhubungan dengan alkoholAlkohol telah diidentifikasi sebagai faktor risiko besar untuk beban global penyakit (Rehm et al., 2003). Konsumsi makanan beralkohol adat atau buatan sendiri dan minuman biasanya tidak tercatat. Hal ini penting untuk memperoleh basis data ilmiah pada konten alkohol minuman fermentasi buatan sendiri / tradisional dan makanan untuk belajar dan mengendalikan risiko kesehatan yang disebabkan oleh konsumsi alkohol di wilayah tertentu. Alkohol yang lebih tinggi(alkohol dengan lebih dari 2 atom karbon) terjadi secara alami dalam minuman beralkohol sebagai metabolit dari kegiatan bakteri. Alkohol yang lebih tinggi adalah senyawa cita rasa yang penting dan telah diperlakukan sebagai umumnya diakui sebagai aman (GRAS). Namun, masalah telah diajukan baru-baru ini mengenai persentase tinggi alkohol dalam produk-produk buatan sendiri alkohol sebagai beberapa studi menunjukkan bahwa kehadiran lebih tinggi alkohol mungkin menyebabkan insiden yang lebih tinggi dari penyakit hati (Narawane et al. 1998; Lal et al., 2001).Minuman tradisional sering dibuat dari buah-buahan, sayuran, biji-bijian atau palm sap oleh penduduk setempat di rumah dan desa. Sebagai dibandingkan dengan tengahEast and Europe which uses mostly fruits as the raw material to produce indigenous alcoholic beverages, Southeast Asia region tend to produce alcoholic beverages from cereals especially rice and also from the palm sap (Lee and Lee, 2002). Although distilled alcohols, wine and beer are readily available in the market, traditional alcohol continued to be widely used due to the availability of the raw materials, ease of fermentation process and affordability of the community (Nordlund and Osterberg, 2000). Popular fermented foods and beverages in Southeast Asia 481It is believed that traditional brews are commonly consumed by the people in the region but remain unrecorded (WHO, 2004). There is variation in drinking pattern in developing countries such as in South-East Asia. Distilled alcohols and wine generally consumed in urban area and by more affluent group. On the other hand, traditional brews (such as fermented grain or palm sap) are normally consumed by poorer population and distributed in more urban area (Patel, 2007). Local brews commonly consumed by the local community in some Southeast Asia region are listed in Table 2.Table 2. List of local brews in Southeast Asia CountriesCountry Local brewsBangladesh Bangla Mada, Cholai TariaBhutan AraaIndia Arracka, Desia Sharaba, Taria, Tharraa, Toddya, FennyaIndonesia Palm WineaNepal Raksia, Tadia, Chayang TombaSri Lanka Toddya, ArrackaThailand Ooua, Namtanmaoa, Sartha Waarka Sato d, Krachae dMalaysia Tuakb, Tapai Sabahb , Arracka, SamsuaPhilippines Tapuyc , Ruou nep thanda: WHO, 2004, b: Chiang et al., 2006, c: Blandino et al.,2003, d: Aidoo et al., (2006)Palm based fermented productsThe fermented palm sap is commonly known as toddy. Verma and Joshi (2000) defined toddy as the product formed from fermentation of palm sap, which contained about 7% (v/v) of ethanol. Ethanol content of a naturally fermented coconut palm sap reached maximum (approximately 9% v/v) after 5 days fermentation (Atputharajah et al. 1986). Joshi et al. (1989) also stated that 9% (v/v) ethanol produced from natural fermentation of a fresh cut sap with10–18% (w/w) sugar. Freshly prepared toddy has an average alcohol content of 7.9%. For commercial toddy or palm wine, alcohol content ranged from 3 to 7% (v/v) for fermented palm sap and 20-40% (v/v) for the distilled (Bennett et al., 1998). Complete higher alcohol profiling of local surrogate such as rice wine and toddy in Southeast Asia region is still yet to be developed.Rice based fermented productsCoronel et al. (1981) analyzed tapuy made from fourteen Philippine rice varieties. Result indicated the ethanol content of tapuy ranges from 12.0 to 13.3% (v/v). Tanimura et al. (1978) reported that ethanol content of tapuy ranges from 13.50 -19.10 % (v/v).Dung et al. (2007) stated that the alcohol content of Vietnamese rice wines varies with some even reached almost 15 % (v/v); and those by distillation, contained approximately 50% (v/v) ethanol. Lachenmeier et al. (2009) collected and analyzed the homemade/ unrecorded fermented alcohol product such as rice alcohol and found the majority had alcohol International Food Research Journal 18: 475-484 482 Law, S. V., Abu Bakar, F., Mat Hashim, D. and Abdul Hamid, A. contents between 30 and 40% (v/v). Tapai (a Sabah’s fermented rice beverage) contained approximately 12.3% (v/v) after 3 weeks fermentation (Chiang et al., 2006). Lachenmeier et al. (2009) investigated both homemade and commercial alcohol products in Vietnam and reported the presence of higher alcohols such as 1-propanol, 1-butanol and isobutanols.