ETHYL CARBAMATE FORMATION IN DOUBLE DISTILLED CACHAÇA COMING FROM DIFFERENTE MUST
Distilling process is directly related to contaminants in spirits (e.g. cachaça) due to concentrate lesser boiling temperature compounds, as well as ethyl carbamate which is potential carcinogenic. Although, simple techniques like double distilling may help reduce it, allied to proper separation of fraction (Head, Heart and Tail). Different musts were prepared following three different treatments and obtaining varied concentrations of ethyl carbamate in them. The sugar cane juices steady at 18ºBrix had three different treatments: filtration only (fresh juice); filtration, boiling for 10 minutes and filtration again (treated juice); filtration and contamination by environment microorganism (contaminated juice). All treatments were divided in two sub-treatments with addition of urea (0,1g.L-1) or not. The samples were distilled in a inside copper laboratory distiller, separating two fractions: Head+Heart until 43%(v/v) ethanol and Tail until none ethanol for the first one, and Head +Heart until 65%(v/v) and Tail until 12%(v/v). Analysis of ethyl carbamate in each sample were done using a chromatograph Shimadzu GCMS-2010 and all treatments displayed reduction on ethyl carbamate concentration after double distilling. Contaminated juice added of urea which had 285ppb of EC reduced for 130ppb, fitting into safe law’s determination. The greatest reduction happened into treated juice without urea, from 87ppb to 11ppb of ethyl carbamate. Double distilling proved to be an efficient and simple method to control the spirit quality and reduce contaminants to safe levels.