Abstract

This study investigated the larva of oil palm weevil for the presence of endogenous ethanol. The body tissue fluid of the larva was made and its alcoholic content determined using the specific gravity method. The alcohol content as percentage by volume was estimated from the laboratory alcoholometry. For comparison, the alcohol contents of lager beer and red wine were also estimated. Results showed that the larva contained about 6.52% ethanol, which compared favourably with the amounts contained in lager beer (5.05%) and red wine (11.35%). This confirmed the traditional belief with regard to the intoxicating quality of consuming a few of the raw larva.

Key words: Endogenous alcohol, oil palm weevil, larva, alcoholic beverage, intoxicating.