Methanol in Grape Derived, Fruit and Honey Spirits: A Critical Review on Source, Quality Control, and Legal Limits

Spirits are alcoholic beverages commonly consumed in European countries. Their raw materials are diverse and include fruits, cereals, honey, sugar cane, or grape pomace. The main aim of this work is to present and discuss the source, quality control, and legal limits of methanol in spirits produced using fruit and honey spirits. The impact of the raw material, alcoholic fermentation, and the distillation process and aging process on the characteristics and quality of the final distilled beverage are discussed. In addition, a critical view of the legal aspects related to the volatile composition of these distillates, the origin and presence of methanol, and the techniques used for quantification are also described. The methanol levels found in the different types of spirits are those expected based on the specific raw materials of each and, almost in all studies, respect the legal limits.