Officers from Hammersmith & Fulham
council issued the warning,
following advice from the
Food Standards Agency.

The Imperial Valkonov Vodka could contain dangerous levels of methanol.

Deputy for environment, Cllr Michael Cartwright said: "It is not known where this vodka has come from, and so it could be on sale anywhere in London.

"If anyone in the borough notices this product on sale we urge them to contact the council's food safety officers.

"Drinking this type of vodka could cause methanol poisoning, with symptoms such as abdominal pain, drowsiness and dizziness, blurred vision which could lead to blindness and breathing difficulties."

The bottles are marked 'Distributed for K.M.G 57, Bodana Khmelnitskogo Str 236039 Kalinginrad Russia for EEC'.

To report sales of this product or any other food safety issues contact the Hammersmith & Fulham food safety team on 020 8753 4932.

LBHF Web site

Bottles of Imperial Valkonov Vodka, which could contain unacceptable levels of methanol, have been found in Brighton. They are nearly identical to ones found nearly two weeks ago on sale in Loughborough, which tests revealed to contain high levels of methanol. They are one litre screw-top glass bottles, more like those used for mineral water than spirits.

The latest bottles have blue labels with a red stripe instead of the gold and silver labels on the original ones. This could be an attempt to confuse the public after the Agency publicised a detailed description of the bottles previously found in Loughborough.

In addition, similar glass screw-top bottles of another fake brand, Kelvenoff Vodka, have been found in Edmonton, north London. While the vodka has a different name, the bottles have the same bogus distributor details. It is prudent to assume that this vodka could also contain high levels of methanol.

David Statham, the Agency's Head of Enforcement, said:

'People should not drink this vodka. Bottles of Imperial Valkonov Vodka have been proven to contain unacceptably high levels of methanol, which can cause serious damage to people's health. These latest finds suggest that efforts have been made to change the look of the bottles and confuse the consumer. It is important to check carefully what you are buying and only to buy the genuine article from reputable suppliers.'

Methanol should not be present in vodka at such levels and if consumed, could cause serious harm to health. Effects of methanol poisoning include abdominal pain, drowsiness and dizziness, blurred vision blindness and breathing difficulties leading to coma. Symptoms of methanol poisoning can be delayed for several hours and anyone who thinks they may have drunk one of these products should seek immediate medical advice.

All the bottles are one litre clear glass bottles, similar to those used for mineral water, with gold screw-top lids. The original Imperial Valkonov Vodka had a gold and silver label, with the words 'Imperial Valkonov Vodka' and '1 litre'. The latest ones have blue labels with a red stripe instead. The label also bears the information '37.5%' and 'product of the E.E.C.'

The Kelvenoff Vodka, which has a gold and silver label, is also marked 'Charcoal Distilled'. It is also labelled '37.5%' 'Produce of E.E.C..'and ' 1 Ltr'

The label also says 'Distilled in charcoal filters, a process inherited by the ancient Russian distillers for quality and purity of original Russian vodka.'

All the various bottles are marked 'Distributed for K.M.G 57, Bogdana Khmelnitskogo Str 236039 Kaliningrad Russia For The E.E.C.' in very small lettering above the barcode.

Food Standards Agency Web site