Podcast: Public Health Lessons from Brazil's Alcohol Poisoning Outbreak

By Cameron English and ChuckDinerstein — Oct 27, 2025

In early October, Brazil faced a nationwide health emergency as adulterated alcohol, primarily white spirits like vodka and cachaça, was laced with toxic methanol—an industrial chemical used to boost alcohol content. Authorities suspect organized crime diluted liquor to evade taxes or increase profits, triggering widespread contamination that sickened hundreds of people—with symptoms like blinding headaches, vomiting, and organ failure—and killed at least 10 people. Are there any public health lessons to learn from this tragic episode?

Image: ACSH

Join Cameron English and Dr. Chuck Dinerstein on Episode 141 of the Science Dispatch podcast as they discuss Brazil outbreak of alcohol poisoning:

Brazil's Alcohol Poisoning Outbreak: Can You Protect Yourself Against Methanol?

A new Barron’s report describes more than 100 cases of suspected methanol poisoning in and around São Paulo, including at least one confirmed death. From upscale bars to beachfront kiosks, Brazilians are suddenly wary of what’s in their glass. The culprit is methanol, a chemical cousin of ethanol that’s cheap, hard to detect, and dangerously toxic. Here's the science behind the poisoning.

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Cameron English

Director of Bioscience

Cameron English is a writer, editor and co-host of the Science Facts and Fallacies Podcast. Before joining ACSH, he was managing editor at the Genetic Literacy Project.