BACKGROUND: This paper reports on the use of a liquid emulsion membrane involving paraffin light oil as membrane phase and lecithin as surfactant for the extraction of alcohol from anthocyanin extract and simulated pineapple wine. RESULTS: The extraction of alcohol was found to depend on the many factors such as surfactant concentration, contact time, stirring speed, stirring time, and ratio of membrane emulsion to feed volume. Results showed that optimum conditions for maximum alcohol extraction (25%) were lecithin concentration 3%, contact time 20 min, stirring speed 250 rpm and ratio of membrane emulsion to feed volume 1 :2. Multistage extraction using this liquid emulsion membrane was found to completely remove alcohol from anthocyanin extract and from simulated pineapple wine in seven stages and five stages, respectively. CONCLUSION: This liquid emulsion membrane was found to be a useful method for the extraction of alcohol from aqueous feed. (C) 2009 Society of Chemical Industry