Victorian consumers will soon be unable to purchase large bottles of alcohol-based food essences, as excessive consumption of the product has officially been linked to a teenager’s death in August 1999.

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Fifteen-year-old Leigh Douglas Clark collapsed at a party two years ago after drinking a large quantity of Hoyts Imitation Vodka Essence.


Victorian Minister for Consumer Affairs, Marsha Thomson, explained that the sale of the essences would now be banned in accordance with the coroner’s findings.


The ban, which will be implemented before Christmas, will prevent the sale for domestic use of bottles of vanilla essence over 100ml and other flavored essences larger than 50ml.

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