A survey of ethyl carbamate in fermented foods and beverages from Zhejiang, China

A survey of ethyl carbamate (EC) in fermented foods and beverages was conducted in Zhejiang province, China. The samples comprised 184 alcoholic beverages (rice wine, white spirit, wine, beer, and rice cooking wine), 33 flavorings (soy sauces and vinegars) and 20 fermented sufus. Rice wine contained up to 515 mu g/kg with an average of 160 mu g/kg, and rice cooking wine up to 206 mu g/kg with an average of 87 mu g/kg. White spirits. wine and beer contained EC at an average level of 72 mu g/kg, 16 mu g/kg and 2 mu g/kg, respectively. EC was also detected in soy sauces and vinegars at an average level of 47 mu g/kg and 27 mu g/kg. In fermented sufus, EC was found at an average level of 63 mu g/kg in normal sufu and 182 mu g/kg in red sufu. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.