A DUI is a serious charge and one that most people want to avoid. What’s interesting about them is that some people have faced DUIs when they didn’t ever have a physical alcoholic beverage. How? There are plenty of items that contain alcohol that can build up in your system, some of which are quite unexpected.
One of the primary sources of unexpected alcohol is in the food that you eat. If you’re not cooking it yourself, you don’t always know what goes into a dish. A recipe that calls for a wine reduction, for example, can actually contain a lot of alcohol. The amount of alcohol that is left after making a sauce or baking all depends on when it was added and at what temperature it was cooked, boiled or otherwise heated.
Some common, everyday items contain alcohol. Did you know that rye bread, for example, has up to .18% ABV alcohol per 100 grams? A ripe pear can have up to .04% ABV. While these aren’t likely to intoxicate you, it’s good to know that these foods contain alcohol, because it might just be enough to push your blood alcohol content high enough to register.
Household items can contain high levels of alcohol
Basic foods aren’t likely to lead to intoxication, but other household goods could. Take, for example, a common cough syrup for severe coughs, colds and flu. Nyquil contains up to 25% alcohol as one of the primary ingredients. Alcohol has many benefits for those who are unwell, such as relaxing them and helping them sleep, but in high enough doses, it’s similar to taking a shot of alcohol each time you take a dose of cough medicine. That’s often why people are advised not to drive on alcohol-based cough syrups.
Another common item in your home that likely contains alcohol is mouthwash. You can get mouthwash without alcohol if you’re concerned. Make sure the label indicates how much alcohol, if any, the mouthwash contains when you buy it. Mouthwash has the ability to affect Breathalyzer tests, even if you didn’t drink it.
Looking at these facts, it’s easy to see how a combination of common foods with an alcoholic beverage, or even on their own, could contribute to a DUI. If you face a DUI and haven’t been drinking, your attorney will help you focus on ways to show your innocence and what led up to your unexpected charges.
