Ethyl carbamate prevalence in spirits

Ethyl carbamate (EC) is an ethyl ester of carbamic acid . It is a compound that can occur naturally in fermented beverages and foods, such as spirits, wine, beer, bread, soy sauce and yoghurt. Ethyl carbamate can be formed from various substances derived from food and beverages, including hydrogen cyanide, urea, citrulline, and other N-carbamyl compounds. The presence of Ethyl carbamate in beverages is an indicator of either poor storage conditions or exposure and stress to heat or improper fermentation. EC has been implicated in skin irritation and obviously pose serious health risk to humans when present at high concentration. However attention should be made and more awareness created since it's toxicological relevance has been partially elucidated, it is recommended that certain limits(threshold limits) has to be established in beverages and other fermented foods and thus minimizing health hazards.

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`Iwouno Jude Olu holds a B.Sc, M.Sc and Ph.D degrees in Food Brewing science and Technology from the famous Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka, Anambra state, Nigeria.Currently he is a lecturer in the department of Food Science and Technology,Federal University of Technology Owerri, Nigeria.He is happily married to Ngozi and blessed with three kids.