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Kvass is a traditional Russian beverage typically produced from rye
or dried rye bread by natural fermentation. Kvass has been very popular in
Russia and the former Soviet Union; consume has been increasing last time
due to massive advertizing stressing its benefits for health. Kvass is
usually sold unfiltered and contains yeast; therefore, the alcohol content
is difficult to standardize. Normally, kvass contains not more than 1,5 %
of alcohol, but if it stands for longer time, the concentration can become
2,5 % or higher. Unlike beer, the kvass is generally considered to be a
nonalcoholic beverage and is drunk by children of all ages without any
limit. It is known that the key time frame for the development, and
prevention, of alcoholism lies in adolescence and young adulthood (Enoch,
2006). Apparently, massive kvass consumption has contributed to high
prevalence of alcoholism in the former Soviet Union. Moreover, pregnant
women, drivers and other contingents, not supposed to consume alcohol,
drink kvass as well. Commercial bottled kvass, especially its cheaper
varieties, is produced from prefabricated ingredients without
fermentation, but contains alcohol nonetheless. Noticeably, the labels of
the bottled and canned kvass bear no information on the alcohol content.
It should be recommended that the labels and advertizing of kvass and
other mildly alcoholic beverages must include information about alcohol
content and a recommendation that children and abstinent alcoholics should
avoid drinking them.
Reference:
Enoch MA. (2006) Genetic and environmental influences on the
development of alcoholism: resilience vs. risk. Ann N Y Acad Sci 1094:193-
201.
Foreign wine denominations such as Port, Madeira, Jerez, Champaign,
Cognac and others have been broadly used in Russia since the Soviet time
for domestic imitations that are often of poor quality. It discredits the
famous wine sorts.
Re: Use of foreign wine denominations in the former Soviet Union
Kvass and alcoholism
Kvass is a traditional Russian beverage typically produced from rye
or dried rye bread by natural fermentation. Kvass has been very popular in
Russia and the former Soviet Union; consume has been increasing last time
due to massive advertizing stressing its benefits for health. Kvass is
usually sold unfiltered and contains yeast; therefore, the alcohol content
is difficult to standardize. Normally, kvass contains not more than 1,5 %
of alcohol, but if it stands for longer time, the concentration can become
2,5 % or higher. Unlike beer, the kvass is generally considered to be a
nonalcoholic beverage and is drunk by children of all ages without any
limit. It is known that the key time frame for the development, and
prevention, of alcoholism lies in adolescence and young adulthood (Enoch,
2006). Apparently, massive kvass consumption has contributed to high
prevalence of alcoholism in the former Soviet Union. Moreover, pregnant
women, drivers and other contingents, not supposed to consume alcohol,
drink kvass as well. Commercial bottled kvass, especially its cheaper
varieties, is produced from prefabricated ingredients without
fermentation, but contains alcohol nonetheless. Noticeably, the labels of
the bottled and canned kvass bear no information on the alcohol content.
It should be recommended that the labels and advertizing of kvass and
other mildly alcoholic beverages must include information about alcohol
content and a recommendation that children and abstinent alcoholics should
avoid drinking them.
Reference:
Enoch MA. (2006) Genetic and environmental influences on the
development of alcoholism: resilience vs. risk. Ann N Y Acad Sci 1094:193-
201.
Competing interests:
None declared
Competing interests: No competing interests