Breath odor characteristics after drinking and identification of sake quantity

Alcohol concentration in the expiration of a subjective person after drinking was examined. Beer, Japanese sake, red wine and shochu were adopted as the alcoholic subjects. The concentration grade was indicated using three metal oxide odor sensors. It became obvious that the alcoholic component in the expiration could remain over 3 h after drinking. Japanese elderly people mostly prefer beer and sake according to a questionnaire survey. In this study, the sensor output characteristic as a function of passage time after drinking sake was investigated and the suitable amount could be indicated by a proposed technique. This means an amount of alcohol from which the subject feels refreshment of mind and body. The sensor outputs after 1 and 2 h of drinking were adopted in the technique. In the questionnaire, it became obvious that 61% of aged men habitually drunk and 18% of females drunk. Women also preferred wine, plum liquor and shochu cocktails. This system was developed to survey the aged life style and identify whether they moderately drunk or not.