Did you know that eating white bread, donuts and pizza dough can register positive blood-alcohol readings on a Breathalyzer Machine? Sounds absurd—but it’s true. A number of experiments were conducted where the BAC of a normal person was recorded by the breath machine to be 0.0% . The subject then ate a slice of white bread and blew into the machine again. The results were breathtaking! The BAC readings after eating a slice of bread rose to an average of .03% and to as high as .05%; without having consumed any alcohol.
Why? The machines were actually picking up the alcohol that is a byproduct of the yeast fermentation process in preparing dough. This type of alcohol is different than that in a person’s blood stream and does not affect driving abilities. Further, the breath machine is unable to distinguish between mouth alcohol (present from chewing the bread) and drinking alcohol in the bloodstream which would be present from drinking.
A BAC of 0.04% is grounds to get charged with a DUI for a number of people such as:
- Anyone under the age of 21
- Commercial Truck Drivers in their commercial truck
- School Bus Drivers in a school vehicle
Other everyday products that can affect a Breathalyzer reading include mouthwash, mints, cough syrup, and even lip balm! People with GERD can have elevated readings due to their acid reflux. Dieters on low carb diets, can have amplified readings due to the ketones produced by their bodies. Even diabetics are sometimes prone to inaccurate readings because of chemical reactions in their bodies.
Know the facts! These machines are far from infallible. Have the Science Attorneys at The McShane Law Firm help you challenge your charges and protect your rights. Call 1-866-MCSHANE
Justin McShane
PA DUI attorney Justin J. McShane is the President/CEO of The McShane Firm, LLC - Pennsylvania's top criminal law and DUI law firm. He is the highest rated DUI attorney in PA as rated by Avvo.com. Justin McShane is a double Board certified attorney. He is the first and so far the only Pennsylvania attorney to achieve American Bar Association recognized board certification in DUI defense from the National College for DUI Defense, Inc. He is also a Board Certified Criminal Trial Advocate by the National Board of Trial Advocacy, a Pennsylvania Supreme Court Approved Agency.
Dan says:
Hello my friend. I blew on a breathalyzer machine barely over for my first time ever and I wasn’t intoxicated at all at that time. I had a beer with lunch which was a Xlarge pizza. I went back to work on a private plumbing job. Several hours went by at least 5 to 6 before I drove home and ate a lot more pizza. I almost made it home and lost control on the wet and dangerous ca299. Anyway I had to pass 5 test for the officer before he made me basically blow into the machine or go downtown so I blew. I was 1.1 he said. I told him I felt fine .So they took me to the hospital where I blew a .09 and then .08 which is the limit where u are dui. So I don’t have any drinking priors. Or dui. I’m 36 been driving 20 years. Can pizza raise my alcohol level by as much as .05 like the article said. Should I fight the case? Do you do cases out in Cali or can you recommend someone ? I think I have a case. I know I wasn’t drunk