TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - A doctor and also a professor of Airlangga University's Public Health Faculty, Atoillah, said that Javanese wine cukrik would not be deathly to people as long as it was not mixed with other substances. "Cukrik is produced from natural fermentation, as a result, its methanol concentration is considered low," he told Tempo, Thursday, January 16. The methanol concentration in cukrik is approximately 10 percent.
Recently, cukrik has become under scrutiny after it has claimed victims in East Java. There were 17 people died in Mojokerto, 4 in Surabaya, 3 in Pasuruan, and 1 in Maduin. He said the drink that was taken by the victims was a mix of cukrik with other substances, such as methylated spirits and paracetamol. "The methanol level could reach 30 to 50 percent, which is clearly dangerous for human organs," he explained.
Methanol (CH4O) is also known as methyl-alcohol, the most simple form of alcohol and dangerous to the body. "If you're not physically strong, only 10 percent is enough to make you permanently blind," he said. The other dangers are heart and liver problems.
MUHAMMAD SYARRAFAH
