JRC shortlists denaturants to combat alcohol fraud. ec.europa.eu. December 06, 2011. JRC scientists have identified a shortlist of denaturants that could be used to harmonise denaturing practices at EU level and reduce fraud and tax evasion of alcoholic beverages. The proposed denaturants could potentially replace over 100 different substances currently used in Member States to denature alcohol.

Denaturants are used to make alcohol unfit for human consumption and are therefore strong-smelling or bitter-tasting substances. Denatured alcohol is not subject to the harmonised excise duty applied on alcohol and alcoholic beverages. It is used, for example, in screen-washer fluid, perfumes and solvents.

The study was coordinated by the JRC under a request from the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Taxation and Customs Union. It compared various potential denaturants against a set of criteria, such as difficulty to remove from alcohol, ease of detection and reasonable cost. The study produced a shortlist of specific denaturant formulation and concentration for several categories of product.

The European Commission is currently considering how to promote the use of the proposed denaturants throughout the EU. A consultation with the Member States on this subject was opened in July 2011 and should be finalised by end of June 2012.