EU food watchdog examines ethyl carbamate levels

The European Food Safety Authority yesterday called on regulators to send in any data on levels of ethyl carbamate and cyanides in foods andbeverages. In particular EFSA wants information on alcoholic beverages such as stone fruitbrandies. EFSA plans to use the data in its assessment of the possible health risks posed by the twoclasses of chemicals.

If high levels are found, the risk assessment could lead to a regulatory pressure on foodprocessors to change their techniques to reduce the chemicals in their products. The same fearsabout acrylamide and benzene, both by-products of processing or storage, spurred the industryto look at ways to change their processes in a bid to reduce the levels of those chemicals.

Ethyl carbamate is a compound that can naturally occur in fermented foods and beverages, such as spirits, wine, beer, bread, soy sauce and yoghurt.The compound is formed during the fermentation process, distillation or during storage.

As hydrogen cyanide and its salts are important in ethyl carbamate formation, EFSA will alsoconsider the possible health risks related to the presence of such cyanides.

A joint Food and Agriculture Organisation and World Health Organisation scientific panel lastyear concluded that that ethyl carbamate is genotoxic and is a multisite carcinogen in all animal species tested.The chemical is considered to be a potential carcinogen in humans.

EFSA is looking for data on ethyl carbamate and cyanide levels in foods and beverages from 2000 onwards.The deadline for submissions is 15 December.