The nitrate-N levels were generally low in the home made
brews/spirits and were found to be below the maximum
contamination levels of 50 mg/l set by the WHO, but higher
than the USEPA level of 10 mg/l for all homemade alcoholic
beverages analyzed. In the raw materials the levels were
also high. Water contained non detectable levels of nitrates.
This meant that the source of contamination for the
brews/spirits may not have been water, but either the use of
contaminated water, or any other additives placed in the
brew/spirit during the brewing process. The results also
verified that the levels of nitrate ions in the raw materials
used were generally higher than the MCL of 5 mg/kg and
the LOD of 8 mg/kg. These levels exceeded the maximum
levels recommended by the World Health Organization [15].
Many developed countries routinely monitor drinking water
quality [10], but this is not the case in developing countries.
Contaminant levels measured in the home made alcoholic
beverages more likely reflected the levels of nutrients in
water and the raw materials used in the brewing processes.