METHYL CARBAMATE AND ETHYL CARBAMATE IN ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES AND OTHER FERMENTED FOODS

Varying but low levels of ethyl carbamate (EC), also known as urethane, are known to be present in various alcoholic beverages and many other fermented foods. Very little data, however, are available on the levels of methyl carbamate (MC) in such products. In this study, 48 samples of various alcoholic beverages, 12 of bread and toast, 10 of soy sauce, and 14 of yogurt and buttermilk were analyzed for both EC and MC by a newly developed method using gas chromatography thermal energy analyzer (N-mode) for detection and gas chromatography high resolution mass spectrometry for confirmation. Only traces (mostly <5 mug/kg) of MC were detected in some of the products in each category, but much higher levels of EC were detected in some sherries (up to 69 mug/kg), whiskies (up to 247 mug/kg), fruit brandies (up to 432 mug/kg), soy sauces (up to 59 mug/kg), and toasts (up to 29 mug/kg). The levels of EC in the dark toasts (still edible) were significantly higher than those present in the breads or light toasts.