Title：Analysis and risk assessment of ethyl carbamate in various fermented foods
Speaker：余雯雯(5101043002)
Moderator：葉潔儒
Date & Time：102.01.05 (日)
出場順序：6
1. Abstract
This article demonstrate the ethyl carbamate (EC) levels of Korea fermented foods
( non-alcoholic beverages ) , and assess the health risk of dietary intake of EC. The MOE was
determined based on the literature review as well as analytical results from this article, which
can serve as the guideline of the industry and the public.
218 products were purchased from department stores and traditional Korean market, the level
of EC in fermented soybean pastes ranged from not detectable to 240.2 ng g-1. EC was not
detected in kimchi, jeotgals, yogurts, and cheese products. Breads and vinegar contained EC up
to 3.70 and 16.79 ng g-1, respectively. The estimated daily intake and chronic daily intake of EC
were 1.98 ng kg body weight (bw)-1 day-1, 1.50 ng kg bw-1 day-1,respectively. Excess cancer
risk and margin of exposure of EC were 7.5 9 10-8 and 151,515, respectively.
2.Materials and methods
1. Based on the Third Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, seven
categories of fermented foods, and subdivision 24 subcategories were chosen, such as
lactic acid fermented vegetables (kimchi: 8 sub-categories), fermented soybean paste (4
sub-categories), fermented fish products (6 sub-categories), yogurt (3 sub-categories),
bread (a sub-category), cheese (a sub-category), vinegar (a sub-category). 218 samples
were purchased, which included 55 samples of lactic acid fermented vegetables (kimchi),
53 fermented soybean pastes (doenjang, gochujang, cheonggukjang, and ssamjang), 20
fermented fish products (jeotgal) , 18 yogurts, 37 bread products, 12 cheeses and 23
vinegar samples.
2. Different pre-treatment were applied to various types of fermented foods to optimize the
analytical result, samples were homogenized and internal standard butyl carbamate (BC)
were added. Samples were extracted with ethyl acetate, and concentrate by solid phase
extraction column was eluted with methylene chloride solvent EC, further concentrated to
1ml to analysis by GC-MS, The MS was operated at an ion source temperature of 230 ℃ in
ionization mode and electron impact at an energy of 70 eV. Selected ion-monitoring (m / z
62, 74, and 89) were used for the EC and BC analyses, respectively. EDI, CDI, ECR, and
MOE risk assessment were estimated based on the analytical results. Human exposure to
EC was based on daily food consumption of the age of the Korean people ≧ 20-year-old
data. Daily food consumption data, weight, and the average life expectancy reports were
taken from Korea Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and the Ministry of Health and
Welfare.
3. Results and discussion
EC levels in all samples were analyzed using optimized methods. Only 13 % of the samples
showed measurable concentrations of EC.
1. EC was not detected in any kimchi.
2. Gochujang contained EC at concentrations between not detectable (ND) and 240.3 ng g-1
with a mean of 14.6 ng g-1.
3. Ssamjang contained EC at levels between N.D. and 43.18 ng g-1.
4. Jeotgals, made from fish internal organs, have proteins with amino acids such as arginine,
which is expected to lead to EC formation. Arginase is necessary to degrade arginine, but
arginase is present in the liver. Because the liver is not usually used to make jeotgals, EC
might be not detected in jeotgals. There are few or no published reports of EC in jeotgals.
Further surveys will be designed to conduct a screening of these samples.
5. EC was not detected in the yogurt and cheese samples, which agreed with earlier surveys
in which EC were ND in six yogurts and eight cheese samples.
6. EC occurred in two of 37 bread samples at an average level of 0.19 ng g-1.
7. 11 vinegar samples contained EC at a level of 1.16 ng g-1.
Through this study, we obtained the accurate and precise analytical data of EC in various
fermented foods. As stated in the introduction, there are tremendous fermented foods in
Korea that may contain certain amounts of EC. EC were not detected in kimchi, jeotgals,
yogurts, or cheeses. The levels of EC in fermented soybean pastes, breads and vinegars were
up to 240.2, 3.70, and 16.79 ng g-1, respectively. The estimated daily intake, chronic daily
intake, excess cancer risk, and margin of exposure of EC were 1.98, 1.50 ng kg bw-1 day-1, 7.5
ⅹ 10-8, and 151,515,respectively. However, so far, EC has a low concern for human health. In
addition, the periodical monitoring and risk assessment of EC in fermented Korean foods
should be carried out in future.
4. Conclusions
Regardless of the environment of harmful substances or pollutants brought generated during
processing, we must evaluate the risks of food concepts to achieve effective control to prevent
or reduce the harm and can communicate the results of this assessment to the industry and
consumer who communicate, to avoid public panic.
5. References
Kwang-Geun Lee, Analysis and risk assessment of ethyl carbamate in various fermented foods.
Eur Food Res Technol (2013) 236:891–898