Fireball Whiskey Contains Anti-Freeze Ingredient-Truth! & Misleading!

Fireball Whiskey Contains Anti-Freeze Ingredient-Truth! & Misleading!

Summary of eRumor:

Reports have gone viral that Fireball Whiskey has been recalled because it contains an ingredient found in anti-freeze.
 

The Truth:

It’s true that Fireball Whiskey was recalled, but claims that it contains an anti-freeze ingredient are misleading.

Sazarac, Inc., bottler and distributor of Fireball Whiskey, announced the recall in a statement released on October 28, 2014. Batches of the cinnamon-flavored whiskey were recalled in Europe, Finland, Sweden and Norway because it contained more of the ingredient propylene glycol (PG) than allowed in those regions.

“Regulations for product formulations are different in Europe, which explains why recipes for products like soft drinks, alcohol/spirits and even candies and confections are slightly different than their North American counterparts,” Sazarac said. “Fireball, therefore, has a slightly different recipe for Europe. Unfortunately, Fireball shipped its North American formula to Europe and found that one ingredient is out of compliance with European regulations.”

The company assured consumers that Fireball Whiskey was a safe drink, and that PG has been used as a flavoring ingredient for more than 50 years. However, reports that Fireball Whiskey included an anti-freeze ingredient quickly went viral.

It’s true that the ingredient PG is sometimes used as an anti-freeze agent, the EPA reports. But the term “anti-freeze” conjures misleading images of the neon-green chemical that prevents engines from freezing in cold weather. Anti-freeze is also used in the food industry. PG absorbs water, so it works as an effective anti-freeze agent by preventing leaking water from coming into contact with food, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports

“Propylene glycol has been approved for use at certain levels in food, cosmetics and pharmaceutical products,” the CDC said. “If you eat food products, use cosmetics or take medications that contain it, you will be exposed to propylene glycol, but these amounts are not considered harmful.” 

The FDA has found that PG can be safely ingested over long periods if it doesn’t account for more than 5 percent of a person’s total food intake.

Posted 10/30/14