Alcohol May Lurk Where You’d Least Expect It

The letter to the editor (“Non-Alcoholic Beer is not Completely Alcohol Free,” Dec. 3) accurately points out that “so-called non-alcoholic beer still may contain up to 0.5% ethyl alcohol under federal law.”

The writer’s subsequent strident call for the enlargement of labels so “that the consumer can be better informed as to the true alcohol content by volume of each beer container” needs to be broadened to include the following items containing 0.5% ethyl alcohol: Apple juice, orange juice, pineapple juice, banana, a slice of bread or pure vanilla extract (35% ethyl alcohol).

GARY FISHMAN

Los Angeles