Vietnam: How to calculate alcohol units in wine and beer

Recently, the Ministry of Health of Vietnam issued Decision 4946/QD-BYT on the issuance of Recently, the Ministry of Health issued Decision 4946/QD-BYT on the issuance of the guidelines for screening and intervention to reduce negative effects for persons facing alcohol-related health risks at primary healthcare establishments and in the community.

Promulgated together with Vietnam's Decision 4946 are the guidelines for screening and intervention to reduce negative effects for persons facing alcohol-related health risks at primary healthcare establishments and in the community. However, before talking about the calculation, it is necessary to clarify “What is unit of alcohol?”

Unit of alcohol is a unit of measurement used to convert spirits, beer and other alcoholic beverages with different concentrations into quantities of pure alcohol. One unit of alcohol equals 10 grams of pure alcohol (ethanol) in a drink.

Vietnam: How to calculate alcohol units in wine and beer

The calculation of alcohol units in wine and beer is as follows:

Unit of alcohol = Volume (ml) x Concentration (%) x 0,79 (conversion factor)

E.g., a 330 ml bottle of beer with a 5% alcohol concentration will have the following grams of alcohol:

330 x 0,05 x 0,79 = 13g, which is equivalent to 1,3 units of alcohol.

Therefore, one unit of alcohol is equivalent to:

- 3/4 of a 330ml bottle or can of beer (5%);

- A 330ml bottle or can of alcoholic fruit juice/cider/strongbow (4,5%);

- A 330ml glass of draught beer (4%);

- A 100ml glass of wine (13,5%);

- Or a 40ml glass of spirit (30%).

Related article: Summary of fines for violations regarding alcohol concentration when driving a car in Vietnam (latest)

Note on the definition of food-grade alcohol, spirit and beer

- “food-grade alcohol” refers to an organic compound with the molecular formula C2H5OH and scientific name ethanol, which has impurities removed, meets the requirements for use in food in accordance with the national technical regulation and potentially leads to addiction and acute poisoning.

- “spirit” refers to a food-grade alcoholic beverage obtained from the fermentation of one or a mixture of ingredients mainly including starches of cereals or sugar syrups of plants, flowers, tubers or fruits or beverages obtained from food-grade alcohol.

- “beer” refers to a food-grade alcoholic beverage obtained from the fermentation of a mixture of ingredients mainly including malt, barley, brewer’s yeast, hops and water.

According to the abovementioned definitions, other alcoholic beverages mixed with food-grade alcohol such as cocktails, fruit juices containing food-grade alcohol produced following a spirit production procedure, etc. are also classified as spirits.

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