Food - News
Does Fireball Really Contain Antifreeze?
By FELIX BEHR
In 2014, Finland, Sweden, and Norway recalled a shipment of Fireball whiskey because it was made from the American recipe and not the European one, starting the rumor that the drink contained antifreeze. It was actually recalled because it contained a higher concentration of propylene glycol — an additive found in food and antifreeze — than allowed.
To most people, propylene alcohol is no different than antifreeze, but it is actually a flavoring agent that has been available for around 50 years. While one may be wary of consuming flavoring agents, propylene alcohol is no more harmful than ingesting alcohol.
Healthline has clarified that propylene glycol is an additive used in the US and the EU, and the latter only objected to the propylene glycol level in the Fireball and not its presence altogether. The website adds that propylene glycol differs from ethylene glycol because the former is not toxic to humans, even though both solutions are used for antifreeze.