Fast and Selective Pressurized Liquid Extraction with Simultaneous In-Cell Cleanup for the Analysis of Ethyl Carbamate in Fermented Solid Foods

A novel analytical methodology that could be used to identify ethyl carbamate (EC) in fermented solid foods was developed and validated. The method was based on selective pressurized liquid extraction with a simultaneous in-cell cleanup combined with gas chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry. The final method was performed at 50 °C for 2 × 5 min using ethyl acetate. Florisil was placed inside the extraction cell downstream of the sample to remove interfering compounds. The proposed method showed a limit of detection of 0.3 μg kg−1 and a limit of quantitation of 1.0 μg kg−1. The recoveries ranged from 98 to 107 % with relative standard deviations of <7 %. The validated method was successfully applied for the determination of EC in French bread, sauerkraut and fermented bead curd samples.