Methyl alcohol or methanol is an alcohol that is made very simple. Even a small amount of methyl alcohol is a poison for living organisms. Drinking 25 grams of methyl alcohol can lead to blindness in humans. Methyl alcohol was first obtained by distillation of wood under airless conditions and under high temperature. Today, it is obtained from the reaction of carbon monoxide and hydrogen in the industry.

Methyl alcohol, which is so toxic for humans, is very difficult to separate from ethyl alcohol (ethanol) in appearance and smell. In addition, because it is very cheap, especially in the production of illegal raki alcohol is used as alcohol. This causes serious damage to death. The use of methyl alcohol in foodstuffs is also prohibited by legal regulations. It is mostly used as solvent and antifreeze in industry or for various purposes in textile sector.

Alcoholic beverages are beverages containing ethyl alcohol. The concentration of alcohol in a drink is generally expressed as volume. With common distillation methods, generally no more than 80 volume alcohol can be obtained. Spirits, that is, distilled alcoholic beverages generally contain 38 and higher percent alcohol. In this way, the high content of alcohol content is called high alcohols.

In authorized laboratories, methyl alcohol, volatile matter content and high alcohols are analyzed by gas chromatography (GC) method within the scope of chemical tests. In these studies, the standards published by domestic and foreign organizations and the test methods and test criteria accepted worldwide are complied with. A number of standards considered in these analyzes are:

• TS EN ISO 662 Animal and vegetable fats and oils - Determination of moisture and volatile matter
• TS 2847 Methyl alcohol used in industry (methanol)
• TS ISO 1843-1 High alcohols - Industrial use - Test methods - Part 1: General