Distribution, generation, and control of ethyl carbamate in Baijiu: A review

Ethyl carbamate, a product generated during the production and storage of Baijiu, is a carcinogen in the genotoxic class 2A mainly ingested into the body through alcoholic beverages. Baijiu has attracted many alcoholic beverage drinkers due to its special color, aroma, taste, and characteristics.In recent years, the safety of Baijiu has received increasing attention from manufacturers and consumers. Therefore, studying the distribution, generation, and control of EC in Baijiu is necessary. China should formulate as soon as possible mandatory standards for EC in Baijiu and guidelines or control measures to promote the healthy and benign development of China's Baijiu industry to enhance the competitiveness of this industry. In this review, we summarize the distribution of EC in different types of Baijiu, the mechanism of EC generation, and control strategies.