title: Ethanol concentration in breastmilk after the consumption of non-alcoholic beer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  During lactation, the consumption of ethanol is discussed controversially. After women drink alcoholic beverages, ethanol can be found in breastmilk with a time lag. To abstain from ethanol, but not from the taste of alcoholic beverages, in particular, non-alcoholic beer has become popular in recent years. According to regulations in the United States and most European countries, these "alcohol-free" beverages may still contain ethanol up to 1.2% by volume. To determine how much of this ethanol may reach the breastfed child, a drinking experiment with non-alcoholic beer was performed.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifteen healthy breastfeeding women participated in the study. After at least 5 days of abstinence from ethanol and the donation of a void breastmilk sample, they were asked to drink 1.5 L of non-alcoholic beer within 1 hour. Breastmilk samples were collected using electronic breast pumps immediately after the end of drinking as well as 1 and 3 hours later. The milk was analyzed for ethanol by headspace-gas chromatography-flame ionization detection using a fully validated method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In two women, trace amounts of ethanol (up to 0.0021 g/L) were found in the samples gained immediately after the drinking period. In the other samples ethanol could not be detected (limit of detection=0.0006 g/L).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The mother's consumption of non-alcoholic beer is likely innocuous for the breastfed infant.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Forensic Medicine, Freiburg University Medical Center , Freiburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schneider
authors.forename: Annette
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Thierauf
authors.forename: Jürgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kempf
authors.forename: Volker
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Auwärter
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001515:Beer; D001827:Body Height; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001942:Breast Feeding; D002253:Carbonated Beverages; D002849:Chromatography, Gas; D000431:Ethanol / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007774:Lactation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008895:Milk, Human / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D009035:Mothers; D011247:Pregnancy; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000431:Ethanol