Cent Eur J Public Health 2022, 30(4):261-264 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a7388

The mechanism of spoilage of a bottled soft drink leading to health problem of consumer

Lenka Mayerová1, František Kožíšek1, Dana Baudišová1, Kateřina Klánová2, Barbora Hlaváčková3
1 Centre for Health and the Environment, National Institute of Public Health, Prague, Czech Republic
2 Centre of Toxicology and Health Safety, National Institute of Public Health, Prague, Czech Republic
3 Regional Public Health Authority of the Central Bohemian Region, Prague, Czech Republic

The case of spoilage of flavoured and sweetened soft drink occurred in the Czech Republic in 2019. After drinking it, the consumer was admitted to a hospital with sickness. The spoilage was caused by mould and an odorous substance, 1,3-pentadiene. The mechanism of food spoilage, with the formation of 1,3-pentadiene arising from the decarboxylation of sorbic acid and mould growth, is described. This could be the second case history reported worldwide of an allergic reaction to penicillin explaining how penicillin might get into the beverage. We hypothesise three possible causes of the health problem experienced with allergic reaction to penicillin or other mycotoxin produced by Penicillium mould as the most probable one.

Keywords: soft drink, 1,3-pentadiene, mould, penicillin, allergy

Received: March 14, 2022; Revised: October 6, 2022; Accepted: October 6, 2022; Published: December 31, 2022  Show citation

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Mayerová L, Kožíšek F, Baudišová D, Klánová K, Hlaváčková B. The mechanism of spoilage of a bottled soft drink leading to health problem of consumer. Cent Eur J Public Health. 2022;30(4):261-264. doi: 10.21101/cejph.a7388. PubMed PMID: 36718930.
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