发酵食品中氨基甲酸乙酯污染及其毒性研究进展

Research progress on toxicity and contamination of ethyl carbamate in fermented foods

氨基甲酸乙酯(ethyl carbamate,EC)是在食品发酵过程中产生的一种化学污染物,广泛存在于发酵食品和酒精饮料中。对于啮齿类动物,氨基甲酸乙酯是一种多位点致癌物,可以导致动物发生肺癌、淋巴癌、肝癌和皮肤癌等疾病。国际癌症研究机构(IARC)已将其认定为2A级致癌物,鉴于其对人类具有潜在的致癌性,氨基甲酸乙酯污染已成为近年来国际社会高度关注的食品安全热点问题之一。本文总结了当前国内外氨基甲酸乙酯的研究现状,对其理化特性、代谢途径、毒性、在发酵食品中的污染情况及各国限量标准进行了综述。最后建议我国相关部门应积极开展氨基甲酸乙酯安全问题调查和研究,帮助企业改进生产工艺,建立国家限量标准,以利于与国际接轨,促进我国发酵食品相关工业长期健康发展。

Ethyl carbamate is a kind of chemical contaminants which is formed as a by-product of fermentation processes, with widespread occurrence in fermented foods and alcoholic beverages. For the rodent animal, ethyl carbamate is recognized as a multisite carcinogen, which can cause lung cancer, lymphatic cancer, liver cancer, skin cancer and other diseases in animals. Recently, International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) upgraded its classification of ethyl carbamate to group 2A. On considering of its potential carcinogenicity to humans, ethyl carbamate pollution has become one of the hot issues of food safety in the world. The present paper summarized the current status of research about ethyl carbamate, and gave a review from the following aspects: the contamination level in fermented foods, limits of each states, metabolic pathways, and toxicity and so on. Finally, we suggested the relation departments should carry out the food safety surveys and studies about EC actively. In order to meet the international standards and facilitate the long-term healthy development of fermented food industry, we should help enterprises to improve production processes and establish our national limits as soon as possible.