Counterfeit whiskies can now be identified using lasers

Scientists have developed a technique using lasers to measure the authenticity of exclusive whiskies without removing the cap.

Counterfeit drinks cost the UK economy more than £200 million in lost revenue each year, according to a 2018 study published by the European Union’s Intellectual Property Office.

New research by University of St Andrews scientists has seen the development of a method using lasers to analyse the whisky without opening the bottle. Scientists previously had to take a sample of the contents as the glass caused interference with the readings.

Professor Kishan Dholakia, who led the study, said: “I hate it when I have to spare a drop of whisky for validation checks. I’d much rather drink the whole bottle.

“Laser spectroscopy is a powerful tool for characterising the chemical make-up of many materials, but to use it to characterise alcohol in its original container in this simple way is really exciting.”

Read more about alcohol:

• Why do some people get aggressive after drinking alcohol?
• Why does drinking alcohol trigger my anxiety?

The team used the method of laser spectroscopy, a process which shines laser light into a substance of interest and the sample scatters the light into different colours. Different chemical components will scatter the light differently, so this technique can be used to determine exactly what is in a sample.

Laser spectroscopy can be used to identify materials including bacteria, food and drink, the paint on sculptures and explosive powders.

The team used a glass element to shape the light to produce a ring of laser light on the bottle surface and a tightly focused spot within the liquid contents.

As the signals from the bottle and liquid are at different positions, a detector can be placed to record only the signal from the liquid, meaning the bottle contents can be assessed without ever opening the bottle.

The research has been published in the Analytical Methods journal.