Short-term toxicity studies on diethyl pyrocarbonate-treated beverages in the rat

Abstract

To assess any possible toxic effects of diethyl pyrocarbonate (DEPC) or its breakdown products, beverages treated with higher than usual concentrations of DEPC were given to rats as the sole source of drinking fluid for 13 wk and the results were compared with those in rats given the untreated beverages. The beverages used (and the concentrations of DEPC) were wine (200 ppm), beer (150 ppm), orange juice (4000 ppm) and blackcurrant juice (4000 ppm). The addition of DEPC to the beverages did not adversely affect body-weight gain, food intake, haematology, serum analyses, renal concentrating ability, urinary cell excretion, organ weights or the histopathological appearance of the tissues. It is concluded that DEPC at the levels used in the test beverages has no adverse effects on rats. Taking into account that the beverages were treated with DEPC levels higher than those normally used commercially and that the fluid intake per unit body weight is greater in the rat than in man, it is estimated that this study provided safety factors of 280 in the case of fruit juices, 56 in the case of wine and 14 in the case of beer.