Abstract
The present work sought to characterize the cyanogenic glycoside dhurrin in five sugarcane varieties and to determine its possible relationship with the formation of ethyl carbamate in cachaca. For each variety, methanol, ethyl acetate and hexane extracts were prepared and submitted to thin layer chromatography. Chromatographic spots were revealed with iodine vapors. The physical and chemical parameters of the spirits produced from the five different varieties of sugar cane and by different production processes were within the legal limits. Although not exceeding the limit for ethyl carbamate, a significant variation in the final concentration of this compound was observed for each sample analyzed. The Rf values for the dhurrin standard and for the sugarcane variety SP 83-2847 were equal, similar to those for SP 80-3280 and CTC 11 and different from the Rf values for the RB 86-7515 and IAC 86-2480 samples.
Highlights
Not exceeding the limit for ethyl carbamate, a significant variation in the final concentration of this compound was observed for each sample analyzed
Ethyl carbamate has been widely studied because it is an obstacle to exports and because it is potentially toxic
One of the routes proposed for formation of ethyl carbamate during fermentation is that involving compounds having the cyanide (CN−) ion in their composition
Summary
Ethyl carbamate has been widely studied because it is an obstacle to exports and because it is potentially toxic. One of the routes proposed for formation of ethyl carbamate during fermentation is that involving compounds having the cyanide (CN−) ion in their composition. This ion is formed by the enzymatic action and thermal cleavage of cyanogenic glycosides, compounds that might be present in sugarcane and that, when oxidized, form the cyanate ion (HCNO−), which can react with alcohol to form ethyl carbamate
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