Monitoring and Risk Assessment of Ethyl Carbamate in Korean Major Foods

Levels of ethyl carbamate, a potential carcinogen produced naturally during fermentation, in major Korean fermented foods and some selected alcoholic beverages were determined by GC/MS/SIM, and their average daily intake and excess cancer risk of Korean people were estimated. In GC/MS/SIM analysis average 1.41, 19.44, 3.00 and 170.88 ${\mu}$g/kg of ethyl carbamates were detected in Baechu kimchi, Japanese soy sauces, Soju and fruit brandy, respectively. The average and maximum daily exposures to ethyl carbamate through major Korean fermented foods and alcoholic beverage consumption were 9.42 and 35.75 ng/kg bw/day for Korean female aged 20-64 years, and 12.73 and 48.87 ng/kg bw/day for Korean male respectively, which were mainly contributed by Baechu kimchi, Japanese soy sauces, Soju and fruit brandy. The average and maximum excess cancer risks were $4.7{\times}10^{-7}$ and $1.8{\times}10^{-6}$ for Korean female, and $6.4{\times}10^{-7}$ and $2.4{\times}10^{-6}$ for Korean male. Therefore, the industries related to fermented foods and alcoholic beverages need to make an effort to reduce the amount of ethyl carbamate in their products.

다소비 식품 중, ethyl carbamate의 분포측정 및 위해성 평가

국내 다소비 식품과 선택된 주류 내의 발효 중에 자연발생하는 발암기능물질인 ethyl carbamate의 함량과 일일섭취량, 초과발암위해도를 GC/MS/SIM으로 분석하였다. 배추김치, 왜간장, 소주, 과일주에 각각 평균 1.41, 19.44, 3.00, 170.88 ${\mu}$g/kg이 함유되어 있는 것으로 분석되었다. 20-64세 여성의 경우, 국내 다소비 식품과 주류에 의해 ethyl carbamate 노출량은 평균 9.42ng/kg, 최대 35.75ng/kg으로 나타났고, 남성의 경우, 평균 12.73 ng/kg, 최대 48.87 ng/kg으로 나타났으며 이는 주로 배추김치, 왜간장, 소주, 과일주에 의한 것으로 밝혀졌다. 한국 여성의 초과발암위해도는 평균 $4.7{\times}10^{-7}$ 최대 $1.8{\times}10^{-6}$, 남성은 평균 $6.4{\times}10^{-7}$ 최대 $2.4{\times}10^{-6}$로 위해성이 있는 것으로 평가되어 식품업계의 ethyl carbamate 저감화 노력이 필요한 것으로 판단된다.