30 prepackaged beers tested by HK’s Consumer Council revealed nutritional, safety and labelling concerns
A study conducted by the Consumer Council, an independent statutory authority in Hong Kong, has led to recommendations for enhanced transparency, better quality ingredients and stricter labelling practice, according to a report on the council’s website published on 15 April.
The study focused on 30 prepackaged beers, and revealed concerning facts about the nutritional and safety aspects of the beverages. The 30 samples of prepackaged canned or bottled beer were purchased from supermarkets, department stores, and retail outlets, with prices from HKD4.5 (USD0.58) to HKD50 per can or bottle, and volumes ranging from 330ml to 500 ml. The labelled ABV ranged from 3% to 8.0% in the samples. Tests mainly examined the nutritional value, safety and quality of the samples.
The findings revealed that consuming the beers could significantly impact health due to their high caloric content. A single can of beer, for example, might contain more than 200kcal – equivalent to a bowl of rice – which could pose risks of encouraging considerable weight gain. The report estimates this could lead to about five pounds weight gain over three months with regular consumption of two cans daily.
The study also found the presence of potentially hazardous substances such as mycotoxins and biogenic amines, with some showing particularly high levels of potentially harmful substances such as putrescine and cadaverine. Excessive intake of biogenic amines “may cause headache, dizziness, vomiting, respiratory distress, and even cerebral haemorrhage,” according to the report. One beer was found to contain deoxynivalenol, a mycotoxin known to cause acute gastrointestinal disturbances.
The study also highlighted a serious issue with the misreporting of alcoholic content in the beverages. Six out of the 30 tested beers had alcohol by volume (ABV) levels differing notably from what their labels claimed, some by as much as 0.5%. Harbin Maidao, a beer displayed an actual ABV of 4.67% compared to the labelled “equal to or more than 3.7%”. The brewer has responded, stating that the product is exclusively sold in mainland China, and adheres to local standards, which might differ from international expectations.
Consequently, the Council has urged the brewers in question to select quality, purified, and well-stored ingredients more stringently for brewing their beer; and to label the alcohol content more accurately.
