World Grain - April 2020 - 52

Grain-based hand sanitizer in high demand during COVID-19 pandemic
by Chris Lyddon

52

recent quarantining of millions of residents in their homes
in a number of states in an attempt to contain the coronaYLUXV&29,'SDQGHPLFLVUHVXOWLQJLQVLJQL¿FDQWO\
less demand for gasoline in the United States.
GRAIN-BASED HAND SANITIZER
One use of ethanol produced from grain has become much
more important because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The
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in a March 19 statement.
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industrial alcohol on a daily basis," said John Bode, presiGHQWDQGFKLHIH[HFXWLYHR൶FHURIWKH&5$³7KHUHKDV
been no shortfall in meeting alcohol orders for production
of hand sanitizers or other health-related sanitizing products. The distribution system is quickly catching up with
the surge in demand for these products."
Bode called on consumers to avoid hoarding and local and state governments to "ensure that their well-intentioned policies not limit work of critical infrastructure
personnel in the production and distribution of health and
food products."
According to the association, "toiletries and cosmetics,
which include hand sanitizer, account for almost a quarter
of US end markets for industrial alcohol."
In the United Kingdom, Scotch whisky distilleries have
moved to supply sanitizer. Jamie Stone, Liberal Democrat
Member of Parliament for Caithness, Sutherland and
April 2020 / World Grain / www.World-Grain.com

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on-food use of grains is up this year, with ethanol
production surging on demand for fuel and other
products. Replacing products based on mineral oil
remains a valuable way to make production more sustainable and reduce emissions.
Industrial use of grains for ethanol is set to rise to 372.1
million tonnes in 2019-20, up from 365.9 million in 201819, according to the International Grains Council (IGC).
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current year by around 2 million tonnes, mainly because
of strong growth in the use of maize for ethanol in Brazil.
World use of grain for ethanol is forecast at 192.8 million tonnes in 2019-20, of which 173 million is for fuel.
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169.3 million for fuel.
The IGC said the United States remains by far the largest processor of grain for ethanol, at 139.5 million tonnes
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the previous year. The IGC quoted the US Renewable
Fuels Association as saying that the approval of E15
gasoline for year-round use led to record sales in 2019.
It also points out that exports have become increasingly
important for the US industry, although they dropped in
2019, with trade between January and November down
around 15% from the same period a year earlier, because
of reduced volume shipped to Brazil and China.
Whether the IGC's 2019-20 ethanol production and
consumption forecast is realized remains to be seen as the
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