Does Fireball Really Contain Antifreeze?
To most, propylene glycol probably does not sound that much better than straight antifreeze. However, as Healthline discusses, it is an additive used both in the United States and the European Union, which only objected to the level of propylene glycol in the Fireball, not its presence entirely. It is a synthetic additive that is similar to alcohol and can be used in antifreeze due to its low melting point.
At this point, Healthline introduces a very salient point. Propylene glycol differs from ethylene glycol in that while both can be used for antifreeze, propylene glycol is not toxic to humans. Ethylene glycol, however, is. Perhaps the similarity there is what led to the initial rumors of Fireball containing a toxic antifreeze agent on its ingredient list. In fact, the only case of propylene glycol poisoning in a human was tied with drinking it from an ice pack with other chemical ingredients. Still, you don’t want to drink from it heavily. It’s not like it is especially good for you either. After all, they do use it in alcohol.
