Consumption of Alcoholic Beverages

The predominant types of commercially produced alcoholic beverages are beer, wine and spirits. Basic ingredients for beer are malted barley, water, hops and yeast. Wheat may be used. Nearly all wine is produced from grapes, although wine can be also made from other fruits and berries. Spirits are frequently produced from cereals (e.g. corn, wheat), beet or molasses, grapes or other fruits, cane sugar or potatoes. Main beverage types (i.e. beer, wine and spirits) may be consumed in combination with each other to fortify the strength of an alcoholic beverage (e.g. fortified wine, in which spirits are added to wine) (WHO, 2004). In addition to commercialized products, in many developing countries different types of homeor locally produced alcoholic beverages such as sorghum beer, palm wine or sugarcane spirits are consumed (WHO, 2004). Homeor locally produced alcoholic beverages are produced through fermentation of seed, grains, fruit, vegetables or parts of palm trees, by a fairly simple production process.