Ethyl carbamate

Ethyl carbamate (EC), a known genotoxic carcinogen, was studied in 25 brands of pot still cachaças from 19 distilleries in Paraíba State, Brazil. A concentration range of 55–700 µg/l was found with most brands (70%) exceeding the international EC limit for spirits (150 µg/l). Brand characteristics (colour, distillation [single or double], and bottle colouration) showed no consistent connection with EC levels. However, when EC levels of yellowish (cask matured) and colourless single-distiled cachaças from the same distillery were compared, the yellowish type was much more heavily contaminated. Eleven distilleries were visited and information regarding the distillation scale, kettle heating system, kettle’s shape, and cooling system of the column was collected. A close connection between EC levels and cooling system was found, with the non-cooled and cooled columns dominating the brands with high (200–700 µg/l range) and low (55–100 µg/l range) contamination levels, respectively.

While in Europe vodka is mainly derived from potatoes or cereals, a large proportion of Brazilian vodka is likely obtained from sugarcane, which contains ethyl carbamate (EC) precursors. EC, in addition to several other contaminants and congeners, were investigated in 32 samples of Brazilian vodka. All samples complied with the Brazilian regulations for congeners and contaminants, having EC content below 0.01 mg/L (detection limit). These results are probably related to the processing of vodka, in particular the use of extractive and rectifying stainless steel distillation columns, which allow the production of high strength spirits with low levels of congeners and contaminants.

Alcoholic strength, volatile acidity, acetaldehyde, methanol, ethyl acetate, higher alcohols (n-propanol, isobutanol, and amyl alcohols), ethyl carbamate, and copper were investigated in 7 brands of blended whiskies produced and bottled in Brazil (BWB) from a wide range of prices, and two brands of blended Scotch whiskies bottled in Brazil (SWB) were investigated for comparison. All brands complied with limits established by Brazilian regulations. The cheapest BWB brand was the most analytically diverse and the only one containing ethyl carbamate above the quantification limit, at 0.09 mg/L. When compared to SWB as well as Scotch, Bourbon, Irish or Canadian whiskies, BWB showed much lower concentrations of methanol, ethyl acetate, n-propanol, and isobutanol. The use of highly rectified ethyl alcohol in the blending process is the most likely explanation for the BWB results.

In 2009, we reported an association between low levels of ethyl carbamate (EC) in pot still cachaças from Paraíba State, Brazil, and distillation in copper pot stills equipped with cooled columns. To strengthen these observations, we extended our study to Pernambuco State and assessed 13 pot still and 20 column still cachaça brands. An EC range from <40 to 532μg/l was found; 18 brands exceeded the Brazilian limit (150μg/l), 89% of which were column still types. Mean EC concentration of pot still cachaças was very low (64μg/l), and was well below the Paraíba study (220μg/l). An on-site investigation of pot still distilleries associated with <40μg/l brands showed a connection to differences in the distillation apparatus. Maximising distillation reflux ratios in the ascending parts and minimising exposure to copper in the descending parts (through the use of stainless steel) can reduce EC, and also avoid copper contamination.

Ethyl carbamate (EC, urethane, C2H5OCONH2) is a genotoxic carcinogen and is regularly found in fermented food products
including alcoholic beverages. In this study, the rapid method of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy in combination with partial least squares (PLS) regression is applied for the first time to the analysis of ethyl carbamate in stone fruit spirits (n = 119) and unrecorded alcohols (n = 27) (analysis time only 15min per sample). The PLS procedure was validated using an independent set of samples (n = 43, R2 = 0.89, RMSE = 0.14 mg/L) in comparison to reference GC/MS/MS results. The NMR method was found to outperform other screening techniques based on NIR or FTIR regarding sensitivity and selectivity. The major advantage over GC/MS/MS, besides the reduced time of instrumental analysis, is that no sample preparation besides addition of buffer with internal standard is required, while for GC/MS/MS labour-intensive sample extraction is necessary prior to measurement.

It was studied that ornithine transcarbamoylase played important roles in ethyl carbamate (EC) formation. Ornithine transcarbamoylase (OTCase) can degrade citrulline, a precursor of EC, through arginine deiminase pathway. Therefore, they are generally added to regulate EC catabolism in rice wine fermentation. In this work, OTCase were added in different concentration and ferment time. It turned out addition of OTCase could reduce EC to some extent, especially for low concentration enzyme addition and mid-stage addition time. Furthermore, the production of amino acids, volatile flavor compounds and sense of taste were not markedly affected. The discoveries reveal that EC can be reduced by supplying OTCase while rice wine leavening.

Key words Ethyl carbamate, Ornithine transcarbamoylase, Rice wine fermentation, Enzyme inhibition

Burukutu was produced using three varieties of sorghum-CSR-02, S-17 and S-44. The ethyl carbamate (EC) content of the burukutu was studied using Response Surface Methodology. A three-level three-factorial Box-Behnken experimental design was adopted to study the effects of storage conditions on the burukutu produced. The ethyl carbamate content was analyzed using standard methods and results obtained were analyzed statistically using the response surface approach. Results showed a significant difference (p<0.05) on the effects of storage time, storage temperature and their interactions on the ethyl carbamate content of burukutu and thus the beverage variety type showed non-significant difference (p>0.05). When consumed in excess, ethyl carbamate has been implicated in various health complications, including gastroenteric hemorrhages, vomiting, cancer, among others. The EC contents of the beverage varieties ranged from 1.08µg/l to 8.50µg/l; which were within the safe limits set by USDA (125 µg/l) and Canada (150 µg/kg). The R 2 obtained from the statistical analysis of burukutu were all higher than 0.75 (75%) which depicts that the model was best suggested or adequately fits the relationship between the variables under consideration.

Burukutu was produced using three varieties of sorghum – CSR02, S17 and S44. The ethyl carbamate (EC) content of the burukutu was studied using Response Surface Methodology. A three-level three-factorial Box-Behnken experimental design was adopted to study the effects of storage conditions on the burukutu produced. The ethyl carbamate content was analyzed using standard methods and results obtained were analyzed statistically using the response surface approach. Results showed a significant difference (p&lt;0.05) on the effects of storage time, storage temperature and their interactions on the ethyl carbamate content of burukutu and thus the beverage variety type showed non-significant difference (p&gt;0.05). When consumed in excess, ethyl carbamate has been implicated in various health complications, including gastroenteric hemorrhages, vomiting, cancer, among others. The EC contents of the beverage varieties ranged from 1.08μg/l to 8.50μg/l; which were within the safe limits set b...

Ethyl carbamate (EC, urethane, C2H5OCONH2) is a genotoxic carcinogen and is regularly found in fermented food products including alcoholic beverages. In this study, the rapid method of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy in combination with partial least squares (PLS) regression is applied for the first time to the analysis of ethyl carbamate in stone fruit spirits () and unrecorded alcohols () (analysis time only 15 min per sample). The PLS procedure was validated using an independent set of samples (, ,  mg/L) in comparison to reference GC/MS/MS results. The NMR method was found to outperform other screening techniques based on NIR or FTIR regarding sensitivity and selectivity. The major advantage over GC/MS/MS, besides the reduced time of instrumental analysis, is that no sample preparation besides addition of buffer with internal standard is required, while for GC/MS/MS labour-intensive sample extraction is necessary prior to measurement.

Burukutu was produced using three varieties of sorghum – CSR02, S17 and S44. The ethyl carbamate (EC) content of the burukutu was studied using Response Surface Methodology. A three-level three-factorial Box-Behnken experimental design was adopted to study the effects of storage conditions on the burukutu produced. The ethyl carbamate content was analyzed using standard methods and results obtained were analyzed statistically using the response surface approach. Results showed a significant difference (p&lt;0.05) on the effects of storage time, storage temperature and their interactions on the ethyl carbamate content of burukutu and thus the beverage variety type showed non-significant difference (p&gt;0.05). When consumed in excess, ethyl carbamate has been implicated in various health complications, including gastroenteric hemorrhages, vomiting, cancer, among others. The EC contents of the beverage varieties ranged from 1.08μg/l to 8.50μg/l; which were within the safe limits set b...

Ethyl carbamate (EC, urethane, C2H5OCONH2) is a genotoxic carcinogen and is regularly found in fermented food products including alcoholic beverages. In this study, the rapid method of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy in combination with partial least squares (PLS) regression is applied for the first time to the analysis of ethyl carbamate in stone fruit spirits () and unrecorded alcohols () (analysis time only 15 min per sample). The PLS procedure was validated using an independent set of samples (, ,  mg/L) in comparison to reference GC/MS/MS results. The NMR method was found to outperform other screening techniques based on NIR or FTIR regarding sensitivity and selectivity. The major advantage over GC/MS/MS, besides the reduced time of instrumental analysis, is that no sample preparation besides addition of buffer with internal standard is required, while for GC/MS/MS labour-intensive sample extraction is necessary prior to measurement.