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Identification and quantification of ethyl carbamate occurring in urea complexation processes commonly utilized for
Luis Vázquez1, Isabel M Prados1, Guillermo Reglero2
1Departamento de Producción y Caracterización de Nuevos Alimentos, Instituto de Investigación en Ciencias de la Alimentación (CSIC-UAM), C/ Nicolás Cabrera 9, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049 Madrid, Spain.
Abstract:
The concentration of polyunsaturated fatty acids by formation of urea adducts from three different sources was studied to elucidate the formation of ethyl carbamates in the course of these procedures. Two different methodologies were performed: with ethanol at high temperature and with hexane/ethanol mixtures at room temperature. It was proved that the amount of urethanes generated at high temperature was higher than at room temperature. Besides, subsequent washing steps of the PUFA fraction with water were efficient to remove the urethanes from the final products. The methodology at room temperature with 0.4mL ethanol and 3g urea provided good relationship between concentration and yield of the main bioactive PUFA, with the lowest formation of ethyl carbamates in the process.