Whether celebrating Cinco de Mayo or just relaxing in Margaritaville, you can thank Mexican and German chemists for assuring tequila’s authenticity.
New tests developed by scientists in Mexico and Germany are helping distinguish the real thing from fraudulent versions, which are a potential threat as tequila grows in popularity.
The researchers say the new testing methods — to be detailed in the June 14 issue of the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry — could help provide quality assurance to the estimated billion-dollar tequila market.
Tequila is one of the best regulated spirits in the world with strict Mexican standards and labeling regulations, says study leader Dirk Lachenmeier of the Chemical and Veterinary Investigation Laboratory of Karlsruhe, Germany. He says thanks to advancements in chemistry, the quality of the ancient Mexican beverage can now be better protected.
Tequila is made from the blue Agave plant and its production is limited to certain geographic areas, primarily to the state of Jalisco in West-Central Mexico. Although subject to strict production and labeling regulations, adulterated samples have occasionally been reported.
