It’s the holiday season and for many, that means it’s time for a lot of festive foods. Many people cook dishes that require alcohol of some kind. You may be wondering, can these recipes get you into legal trouble on your drive home after the meal? Let’s discuss whether or not food cooked with alcohol is a DUI risk.
Alcohol in Food
Some recipes call for wine, liquor, or beer added to the ingredients. However, this addition of alcohol is highly unlikely to make anyone feel impaired or even register on a breath test. This is because the alcohol is cooked out of the food as the food is heated up or boiled. The alcohol in the liquid evaporates as the meal cooks.
What If the Alcohol Isn’t Cooked Out All The Way?
This happens more often than one might think. If the alcohol is not burned off completely, it could potentially intoxicate the individual consuming the food. This is especially true if the alcohol was added shortly before the meal was complete, not having enough time to evaporate fully.
Additionally, many people underestimate how long it takes for alcohol to burn off when cooking. It could take as long as three hours for the alcohol to fully burn off. So, food often contains more alcohol than one might think.
Click here to see more information on alcohol burn off and cooking.
Can You Get a DUI For Eating Alcohol?
While it is unlikely, it is a possibility. The presence of alcohol could show up on a breath test if you drove shortly after eating food that contained alcohol. This evidence, combined with other types of evidence, like field sobriety test performance, could lead the police officer to arrest you for driving under the influence.
DUI Charges This Holiday Season
As you enjoy the Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, and Christmas festivities, the police will be out looking to make DUI arrests. Our Jacksonville attorneys are here to help you if you are charged with DUI this holiday season. You can reach us online or by calling (904) 474-3115. Stay safe and have a great holiday!