Cancer risk assessment of ethyl carbamate in alcoholic beverages from Brazil with special consideration to the spirits cachaça and tiquira

Abstract

BackgroundEthyl carbamate (EC) is a multi-site carcinogen in experimental animals and probably carcinogenic to humans (IARC group 2A). Traces of EC below health-relevant ranges naturally occur in several fermented foods and beverages, while higher concentrations above 1 mg/l are regularly detected in only certain spirits derived from cyanogenic plants. In Brazil this concerns the sugarcane spirit cachaça and the manioc (cassava) spirit tiquira, which both regularly exceed the national EC limit of 0.15 mg/l. This study aims to estimate human exposure in Brazil and provide a quantitative risk assessment.MethodsThe human dietary intake of EC via alcoholic beverages was estimated based on WHO alcohol consumption data in combination with own surveys and literature data. This data comprises the EC contents of the different beverage groups cachaça, tiquira, other spirits, beer, wine, and unrecorded alcohol (as defined by the WHO; including alcohol which is not captured in routine government statistics nor taxed). The risk assessment was conducted using the margin of exposure (MOE) approach with benchmark doses obtained from dose-response modelling of animal experiments. Lifetime cancer risk was calculated using the T25 dose descriptor.ResultsConsidering differences between pot-still and column-still cachaça, its average EC content would be 0.38 mg/l. Tiquira contained a considerably higher average EC content of 2.34 mg/l. The whole population exposure from all alcoholic beverages was calculated to be around 100 to 200 ng/kg bw/day, with cachaça and unrecorded alcohol as the major contributing factors. The MOE was calculated to range between 400 and 2,466, with the lifetime cancer risk at approximately 3 cases in 10,000. An even higher risk may exist for binge-drinkers of cachaça and tiquira with MOEs of up to 80 and 15, respectively.ConclusionsAccording to our risk assessment, EC poses a significant cancer risk for the alcohol-drinking population in Brazil, in addition to that of alcohol alone. Model calculations show that the implementation of the 0.15 mg/l limit for cachaça would be beneficial, including an increase of the MOE by a factor between 3 to 6. The implementation of policy measures for tiquira and unrecorded alcohol also appears to be advisable.

Formação de carbamato de etila em aguardentes recém-destiladas: proposta para seu controle

“…As vias de formação e os precursores de uretana em alimentos e bebidas dependem do tipo e do seu respectivo processamento. [3][4][5][6][7]12 Em vinhos a presença de carbamato de etila está relacionada com o tipo de levedura e com os subprodutos do seu metabolismo.…”

Effect of light on the concentration of ethyl carbamate in cachaça stored in glass bottles

“…Relatively high levels of EC have been found in cachaça since the beginning of this century (5)(6)(7), and these levels have caused concern in Brazil. Subsequently, these results were compounded by a risk assessment study, showing that EC represents a significant risk of cancer for the Brazilian population that consumes alcohol and those that consume cachaça have a higher degree of exposure (7).…”

“…Subsequently, these results were compounded by a risk assessment study, showing that EC represents a significant risk of cancer for the Brazilian population that consumes alcohol and those that consume cachaça have a higher degree of exposure (7).…”

Brazilian vodkas have undetectable levels of ethyl carbamate

“…The fact that EC has been found in large concentrations in column still cachaça, 5 (which would in principle bear a resemblance to the process of a sugarcane-derived vodka), may be explained by its distillation in a single distillation column, with a limited number of trays (15)(16)(17)(18)(19)(20), to ensure the desirable cachaça flavor is retained. 25 In fact, during the profiling of three major column still cachaça distilleries in Pernambuco State, Northeast Brazil, it was observed that cachaça passed through a single distillation column containing an average of 19 trays; the final spirit was collected at 47% vol.…”

“…These materials include stone-fruits or sugarcane, 3 both of which are associated with a high incidence of EC in cherry or plum spirits 4 as well as in cachaça (Brazilian sugarcane spirit). [5][6][7][8] As a result, in-line with legislation in other countries, Brazil established an EC limit (0.15 mg/L) for cachaça. 9 However, other alcoholic beverages, including vodka, are not submitted to EC regulation in Brazil.…”