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The Czech Agriculture and Food Inspection Authority (CAFIA) forbade production of spirits in company LIHO Blanice Co., Ltd last week. This is due to laboratory analyses´ results which proved excessive amount of dangerous methanol in several samples from production of this company. As an extensive case is concerned, representatives of the Customs Office in Tábor were also invited to the control.

The European directives allow 500 milligrams of methanol per litre of absolute alcohol; however appliances in case of spirits from the company LIHO Blanice measured as much as 1880 milligrams. The spirit was sold by the company as material for further production and LIHO Blanice itself produced some spirits thereof. Therefore the analyses proved an excessive amount of methanol in two of its products – Kralický tuzemák and Vodka jemná 37.5%. Moreover, the company representatives carry out the measurements prescribed by the inspectors on the basis of their findings insufficiently; among others, the company was not able to fully substantiate to whom the spirit was further sold, which additional spirits were produced thereof by themselves and where these spirits were further distributed.

Therefore the Czech Agriculture and Food Inspection Authority recommends to consumers to be cautious when buying and consuming spirits from LIHO Blanice and at the same time it wants to warn the customers who bought the above mentioned spirit of the health hazard.

CAFIA not only banned further production of consumer spirit for food purposes, but also suspended sale of all spirits that were stored in the company at the time of control. Nearly 57 thousand litres of decanted spirits are concerned in total value exceeding eight million Czech crowns. The poducer cannot further distribute even the spirits which have not been decanted from production tanks yet; therefore the total value of these goods is estimated at 15 million crowns.

The case is among others very complicated due to the approach of the controlled person. The CAFIA´s investigation of the matter has been going on.