Simultaneous determination of methylcarbamate and ethylcarbamate in fermented foods and beverages by derivatization and GC-MS analysis

Ho-Sang Shin,Eun-Young Yang

doi:10.1186/1752-153x-6-157

Abstract

BackgroundMethylcarbamate (MC) and ethylcarbamate (EC) are toxic compounds that commonly exist in fermented food and beverages. In order to estimate the risk for their exposure, a sensitive simultaneous analytical method is requiredResultsA simultaneous determination of MC and EC was described based on derivatization with 9-xanthydrol and consecutive detection using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. The derivatization of MC and EC was performed directly in food or beverages and the reaction conditions were established through changing various parameters. The detection and the quantification limits were 0.01-0.03 μg/kg and 0.03-0.1 μg/kg, respectively, and the interday relative standard deviation was less than 12% at concentrations of 2.0 and 50 μg/kg. MC and EC were measured from 0.4 μg/kg to 85.8 μg/kg in sixteen Korean fermented foods and eleven beverages.ConclusionA simple, sensitive method to detect MC and EC in several solid foods and liquid foods was developed based on derivatization with 9-xanthydrol for 10 min at an ambient temperature. The method may useful for routine analysis of MC and EC in numerous food samples.

Highlights

Methylcarbamate (MC) and ethylcarbamate (EC) are toxic compounds that commonly exist in fermented food and beverages
Ethylcarbamate (EC, urethane, C2H5OCONH2) is a known genotoxic carcinogen that commonly exists in fermented food and beverages due to the natural biochemical processes in the fermentation process [1,2]
EC was re-classified as a carcinogen (Group 2A) by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) in 2007 [3] and has already been regulated in several countries such as Germany, USA, Canada, France and the Czech Republic [2]

Summary

Introduction

Methylcarbamate (MC) and ethylcarbamate (EC) are toxic compounds that commonly exist in fermented food and beverages. In order to estimate the risk for their exposure, a sensitive simultaneous analytical method is required. Ethylcarbamate (EC, urethane, C2H5OCONH2) is a known genotoxic carcinogen that commonly exists in fermented food and beverages due to the natural biochemical processes in the fermentation process [1,2]. Methylcarbamate (MC, methylurethane, CH3OCONH2) is simplest ester of carbamic acid. MC has a relatively low EC and MC can co-exist through natural formation during the fermentation processes [9]. In order to estimate the risk for EC and MC exposure, a sensitive simultaneous analytical method in fermented foods and beverages is required

Objectives

Results

Conclusion