Ask The Brewmasters

Dear "anonymous"

1) CFIA surveyed 125 samples of beer and found two samples with 2ppb,  <https://inspection.canada.ca/food-safety-for-industry/food-chemistry-and-microbiology/food-safety-testing-reports-and-journal-articles/ethyl-carbamate-in-alcoholic-beverages-and-vinegar/eng/1597087278233/1597088245822>

In all sake, wine, spirit and liqueur samples, the levels of EC met Maximum Limits (MLs) established by Health Canada (HC)^Footnote 9. There are no regulations in Canada for EC levels in beer.....  It would seem not to be a concern in Canada.

2) In China, "Result of a survey of ethyl carbamate (EC) in beer was carried out by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS). 217 samples were purchased from supermarkets in five cities of China. The concentrations of EC ranged from n.d. to 19.6 μg/kg with an average level of 2.2 μg/kg, and positive rate was 95.4%. Mean in domestic beer (N = 142, incidence 97.3%) was 1.8 μg/kg," <https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0956713517301639>.

3) From, <https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02652039709374503>:Data on ethyl carbamate concentrations in beers purchased and analysed between 1988 and 1990 are presented. The concentrations in draught beers were uniformly below the detection limit of 1 μg/l. Canned beers contained rather more ethyl carbamate (up to 2.5 μg/l) which is considered to be due to their longer shelf‐life and higher alcohol content (in some cases). Bottled beers contained even higher amounts of ethyl carbamate (up to 14.7 μg/l) and this was considered to be due to the use of azodicarbonamide as a blowing agent in the beer bottle cap liners. It is understood that modifications to the liner have led to reduced concentrations in bottled beers produced more recently. 

All of this information was looked up on GOOGLE SCHOLAR. 

As Alex mentioned, fermentation can produce EC but at levels well below the regulatory thresholds (100-400ppb depending on country). The US has a voluntary limit of 125ppb but I believe that is only in spirits and not sure if beer is covered under that. 

I am mostly curious as to the motivation to track EC during fermentation? This stems from an academic perspective as some of my graduate research focused on developing GN0 barley varieties for the distilling industry and I am curious if there is interest in these from a subset of the brewing community. If you were concerned with the low levels you could insist on GN0 barley from your suppliers. There are now commercially available options in the US and Canada and more coming. 

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Campbell Morrissy, PhD
Director of Brewery Operations
pFriem Family Brewers
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Original Message:
Sent: 10-22-2023 12:51
From: R. Speers
Subject: Ethyl Carbamate

Dear "anonymous"

1) CFIA surveyed 125 samples of beer and found two samples with 2ppb,  <https://inspection.canada.ca/food-safety-for-industry/food-chemistry-and-microbiology/food-safety-testing-reports-and-journal-articles/ethyl-carbamate-in-alcoholic-beverages-and-vinegar/eng/1597087278233/1597088245822>

In all sake, wine, spirit and liqueur samples, the levels of EC met Maximum Limits (MLs) established by Health Canada (HC)^Footnote 9. There are no regulations in Canada for EC levels in beer.....  It would seem not to be a concern in Canada.

2) In China, "Result of a survey of ethyl carbamate (EC) in beer was carried out by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS). 217 samples were purchased from supermarkets in five cities of China. The concentrations of EC ranged from n.d. to 19.6 μg/kg with an average level of 2.2 μg/kg, and positive rate was 95.4%. Mean in domestic beer (N = 142, incidence 97.3%) was 1.8 μg/kg," <https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0956713517301639>.

3) From, <https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02652039709374503>:Data on ethyl carbamate concentrations in beers purchased and analysed between 1988 and 1990 are presented. The concentrations in draught beers were uniformly below the detection limit of 1 μg/l. Canned beers contained rather more ethyl carbamate (up to 2.5 μg/l) which is considered to be due to their longer shelf‐life and higher alcohol content (in some cases). Bottled beers contained even higher amounts of ethyl carbamate (up to 14.7 μg/l) and this was considered to be due to the use of azodicarbonamide as a blowing agent in the beer bottle cap liners. It is understood that modifications to the liner have led to reduced concentrations in bottled beers produced more recently. 

All of this information was looked up on GOOGLE SCHOLAR. 

------------------------------
Alex Speers B.Sc. (Agr.), Ph.D.,FIBD
Kootenay Consulting

I would think the biggest concern here would be in seltzer base fermentations, not in beer. We are making products for a brewery that is testing for this in the aging stock of their seltzer base, around 19% abv after primary fermentation and filtration. After secondary filtration, it is not a concern of the amount of carbamates increasing, and as such the only issue is getting the product through secondary filtration as quickly as possible after the end of fermentation. 

I would think the biggest concern here would be in seltzer base fermentations, not in beer. We are making products for a brewery that is testing for this in the aging stock of their seltzer base, around 19% abv after primary fermentation and filtration. After secondary filtration, it is not a concern of the amount of carbamates increasing, and as such the only issue is getting the product through secondary filtration as quickly as possible after the end of fermentation. 

I would think the biggest concern here would be in seltzer base fermentations, not in beer. We are making products for a brewery that is testing for this in the aging stock of their seltzer base, around 19% abv after primary fermentation and filtration. After secondary filtration, it is not a concern of the amount of carbamates increasing, and as such the only issue is getting the product through secondary filtration as quickly as possible after the end of fermentation. 

Recognizing this thread is old I still wanted to point to an excellent paper on this topic:

Ethyl Carbamate in Fermented Beverages: Presence, Analytical Chemistry, Formation Mechanism, and Mitigation Proposals

Zhihua Jiao, Yachen Dong, and Qihe Chen 

Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety, Vol. 13, 2014

https://ift.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/1541-4337.12084

It covers the science and measurement methods.

It is a paid access article for those that do not have institutional access (University etc.).

I would think the biggest concern here would be in seltzer base fermentations, not in beer. We are making products for a brewery that is testing for this in the aging stock of their seltzer base, around 19% abv after primary fermentation and filtration. After secondary filtration, it is not a concern of the amount of carbamates increasing, and as such the only issue is getting the product through secondary filtration as quickly as possible after the end of fermentation.