Ethyl carbamate (EC) is a chemical that unintentionally forms during the fermentation process. It can be found in alcoholic beverages such as wine, beer, spirits, and fermented foods such as bread and yogurt. EC levels in alcoholic beverages and vinegars can be affected by a wide range of factors, including storage temperature, strain of yeast used, crop fertilization and exposure to sunlight. This compound is classified as 'probably carcinogenic to humans' by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), and therefore may pose a health risk to the consumer.
This targeted survey generated further baseline surveillance data on the occurrence of EC in domestic and imported products on the Canadian market. The CFIA sampled and analyzed 390 products, including 125 beer, 17 sake, 117 spirit and liqueur, 125 vinegar and 6 wine samples. EC was detected in 9.5% of samples tested, with levels ranging from 4 ppb to 135 ppb. Comparison of the survey results to previous surveys and scientific literature showed that the levels of EC in Canadian retail products are similar to those reported in a variety of scientific studies.