Beer is a fermented beverage boasting over 5000 years of history. The earliest documented use of hops in brewing dates back to the 9th century at a Benedictine monastery.
In 2021, EU member states produced 33.1 billion liters of alcoholic beer and nearly 1.7 billion liters of non-alcoholic beer (<0.5% alcohol).
Germany, the UK, Poland, and Spain led the production in Europe in 2021. The Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany were the top exporters, while France, Italy, and Germany were the main importers.*
Current trends in the beer industry include rising interest in craft beer, flavored and mixed lagers, organic beers, sustainability efforts, and premium products.
Types of Beers
Beers are produced in breweries, and some of them are considered microbreweries with yearly production up to 1.000 hectolitres.
Beers are crafted in breweries, including microbreweries which produce up to 1,000 hectolitres annually. Beer quality and safety can be assessed through two primary categories: lagers and ales. Lagers are brewed with specific yeast strains and fermented at cold temperatures (35-50°F), whereas ales ferment at warmer temperatures (60-70°F).
Beer, Safety, and Quality
Beer is generally safe in terms of food safety due to its components such as alcohol, hops, pH, and CO2. However, it is not free from hazards.
Potential contaminants in beer production include raw materials and risks during the brewing and environmental processes. Key concerns involve spoilage microorganisms such as bacteria (Lactobacillus, Pediococcus), yeasts (Saccharomyces, Candida), molds (Fusarium, Aspergillus), and chemical contaminants like mycotoxins, heavy metals, biogenic amines, and micro- and nano-plastics.
Craft beers, often not pasteurized or filtered, are more susceptible to spoilage compared to those produced in large-scale breweries.
Mérieux NutriSciences holds ISO 17025 accreditation for beer quality and safety analysis. The company also has participated in the Brewing Analytes Proficiency Scheme (BAPS) for over 20 years.
Beer and their Regulation in Europe
Key EU regulations concerning alcoholic beverages include:
- Regulation 1169/2011: Mandates provision of food information to consumers.
- Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008: Controls food additives such as sweeteners and colorants.
- Regulation (EU) 2023/915: Pertains to contaminants in foodstuffs. Additionally, individual EU countries implement their own beer-related regulations.
*PrintBeer production increased in 2021, eurostat, 30 August 2022
