Hi I am ordered to have random drug screens. I have been sober for 7 plus years but occasionally will have a Kombucha tea the Synergy brand with less then .5% alcohol in 12 ounces. Could this possibly show up. I didn't even think about it until I was reading the label and it said it MAY contain less then .5% ETOH due to fermentation. This is for a Board of Nursing so it is imperative that I don't show positive.

There are two factors that relate to your question. 1) cutoff for the test (usually 100 or 500). 2) time of consumption in relation to time of test.

Generally, incidental exposure are in the lower range 100-300 ng. A 100 cutoff greatly increases detection due to incidental exposure and consumption of products containing small amounts of ethanol... and there are thousands of possibilities for such exposure.

There have been several studies involving trace amounts of alcohol in consumables and personal care products. Generally, you must be careful during the 12 hours leading up to the test. That is because EtG can spike above the level of detection but is eliminated with a few hours. See Musshoff, 2010

The estimated EtOH content of Kombucha is the same as non-alcoholic beer 0.5% and there are several studies involving NA beer. Ex. Thierauf, 2010

The above is meant simply to provide you with a starting point in researching the EtG test. It is not a system that provides protection against false EtG results.

EtG testing is erratic, unreliable, absent a scientific foundation, inadequately researched, widely misrepresented and should not be in commercial use. Why EtG is still used by some professional licensing boards is incomprehensible.

Here is link to a discussion group involving nurses and EtG testing:
Ethylglucuronide

Musshoff, et al 2010 Ethyl glucuronide and ethyl sulfate in urine after consumption of various beverages and foods—misleading results?

Thierauf, et al 2010 Urine tested positive for ethyl glucuronide and ethyl sulphate after the consumption of “non-alcoholic” beer


NOTICE: Any person or entity that is subjected to or relies on EtG testing should read this Advisory issued by the US Department of Health and Human Services, September 2006 and remains in effect as of date of this posting. Copy available here > US DHHS Advisory

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Originally Posted by DrBill100

There are two factors that relate to your question. 1) cutoff for the test (usually 100 or 500). 2) time of consumption in relation to time of test.

Generally, incidental exposure are in the lower range 100-300 ng. A 100 cutoff greatly increases detection due to incidental exposure and consumption of products containing small amounts of ethanol.....and there are thousands of possibilities for such exposure.

There have been several studies involving trace amounts of alcohol in consumables and personal care products. Generally, you must be careful during the 12 hours leading upto the test. That is because EtG can spike above the level of detection but is eliminated with a few hours. See Musshoff, 2010

The estimated EtOH content of Kombucha is the same as non-alcoholic beer 0.5% and there are several studies involving NA beer. Ex. Thierauf, 2010

The above is meant simply to provide you with a starting point in researching the EtG test. It is not a system that provides protection against false EtG results.

EtG testing is erratic, unreliable, absent a scientific foundation, inadequately researched, widely misrepresented and should not be in commercial use. Why EtG is still used by some professional licensing boards is incomprehensible.

Here is link to a discussion group involving nurses and EtG testing:
Ethylglucuronide

Musshoff, et al 2010 Ethyl glucuronide and ethyl sulfate in urine after consumption of various beverages and foods—misleading results?

Thierauf, et al 2010 Urine tested positive for ethyl glucuronide and ethyl sulphate after the consumption of “non-alcoholic” beer


NOTICE: Any person or entity that is subjected to or relies on EtG testing should read this Advisory issued by the US Department of Health and Human Services, September 2006 and remains in effect as of date of this posting. Copy available here > US DHHS Advisory

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Thank you Dr. Bill. Now if I could only find a support group of other nurses going through this nursing board probation in Missouri.

Check UltimateNurse and/or All Nurses

It is good to be in touch with others that are subjected to this ridiculous test.

Hi! I also am being subjected to random ETG's and I just drank Kombucha Synergy Guava Goddess yesterday and was asked to go in for a test today. Did you test positive for alcohol? I am super anxious and any answers you have could help alleviate some of this anxiety. I drank the tea at about 3pm yesterday and was tested at 4pm the next day... PLEASE HELP!

Hi! I am also required to take random EtG tests for a different licensing board, and am wondering if drinking this tea will show up on an EtG test. Aimeeo, what happened?

The answer is that yes it can, depending on many many other factors,

Why risk it