New laser tech can spot deadly fake booze without opening bottle

The state-of-the-art system could soon be deployed to help detect counterfeit alcohol, expose wine fraud and even identify dangerous chemicals inside sealed bottles – all without opening them.

It has been developed by Scottish and Australian scientists.

The breakthrough builds on newly published research conducted at the University of St Andrews in collaboration with Adelaide University.

The study has demonstrated that a specially designed laser system can detect toxic methanol hidden inside unopened spirit bottles, even through colored glass.

While the latest study focused on identifying dangerous methanol contamination in whisky and other spirits, Adelaide University researchers are already expanding the technology into new areas.

Methanol poisoning remains a serious global health problem, causing hundreds of deaths each year and leaving thousands more people blind or permanently injured.

But counterfeit alcohol is often impossible to detect without opening the bottle and conducting expensive lab tests.

The new optical technique, described in the Journal of Physics: Photonics, changes that.

Using a sophisticated form of sensing known as Raman spectroscopy, researchers can read the unique chemical "fingerprint" of a liquid through its packaging.

By combining two advanced optical techniques – carefully shaping the laser beam and subtly changing its wavelength during measurement – the team dramatically improved the system's ability to detect tiny amounts of methanol while filtering out interference from the bottle itself.

The technology can detect methanol at concentrations around 10 times lower than internationally recognized safety limits, offering a fast, non-destructive alternative to conventional lab testing.

Adelaide University physicist Ralf Mouthaan says the research was opening the door to a much broader range of applications beyond alcohol safety.

He said: "Being able to identify the contents of a sealed bottle without opening it has enormous potential.

"At Adelaide University we're now adapting this technology to tackle problems that directly affect Australian industries, including wine authentication, food quality and product safety."

The research team has already shown that they can capture a unique optical fingerprint of wine through the bottle.

It creates a potential new weapon against wine fraud - a problem estimated to cost the global wine industry billions of pounds each year.

The team is also investigating whether the technology could detect trace pesticide contamination in olive oil, identify counterfeit perfumes, and allow law enforcement agencies to determine whether bottles contain hazardous chemicals without opening them.

Methanol research leader Ané Kritzinger, a joint PhD candidate with Adelaide University and the University of St Andrews, says the versatility of the technology is one of its greatest strengths.

She added: "Once you can accurately identify the molecular fingerprint of a liquid through its packaging, there are countless possibilities.

"We're interested in applying the same principles wherever industries need a rapid, reliable and non-invasive way to verify what's inside a sealed container."

Mouthaan says the research represents an important milestone towards practical, real-world devices.

He added: "Our goal is to develop technology that can move out of the laboratory and into places where it can make a real difference – whether that's customs checkpoints, distilleries, food manufacturers or quality assurance facilities."