Quantification of ethyl carbamate in cachaça produced in different agro-industrial production systems

Abstract

Popularly known by various names such as caninha, dangerous, drips, damned and many other denominations, cachaça is the genuine Brazilian drink, produced by the fermentation of sugarcane juice by yeast, followed by distillation in alambics. Considering that cachaça is the most widely consumed distilled beverage from Brazil, the knowledge of the chemical composition and the presence of potentially toxic compounds such as ethyl carbamate, considered a human carcinogen, is important. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of different conditions of the agro-industrial cachaça production systems, including the variety of sugarcane, on the quantification of ethyl carbamate through the chromatographic. Thirteen unaged beverage samples, produced from different varieties of sugarcane, were analysed. Using analysis of variance and comparison of average concentrations of ethyl carbamate (Scott-Knott, α = 5%), all of the samples were found to contain contaminant levels below the ceiling established by the legislation, which is 210 μg L À1.

The Spirit of Cachaça Production: An Umbrella Review of Processes, Flavour, Contaminants and Quality Improvement

“…The conditions used during the fermentation and storage of cachaça may also contribute to the formation of EC [182]. The researchers found that the storage of cachaça in oak barrels and glass containers influenced the formation of EC.…”

“…Mendonça et al [192] found that EC was not detected in sugarcane juice, and the grinding process and cane variety did not seem to influence its formation. D'Avila et al [182] analysed 13 unaged cachaça samples and found all contaminant levels below the legal ceiling. Guerreiro et al [27] developed a new method based on QuEChERS and GC-MS Triple-Quadrupole to monitor EC in cachaça, finding only one sample above the limit allowed by Brazilian legislation.…”

Occurrence of Ethyl Carbamate in Foods and Beverages: Review of the Formation Mechanisms, Advances in Analytical Methods, and Mitigation Strategies

“…Processing steps at individual distilleries may have a large effect on EC concentrations in these beverages. In one analysis, EC concentrations in sugar cane spirits varied widely between distilleries, ranging from below analytical detection limits to 1,600 μg/L (20,44,172).…”