URINARY-EXCRETION OF ETHYLENETHIOUREA IN 5 VOLUNTEERS ON A CONTROLLEDDIET (MULTICENTRIC STUDY)

Urinary excretion of ethylenethiourea (ETU) was monitored for 8 days i n a group of five male non-smoker volunteers on a diet, the items of w hich were assayed for ETU and carbon sulphide. Urinary excretion of ET U reflected the consumption of wine, fruit and vegetables. Urinary ETU concentrations ranged from 0.6 to 6.7 mu g/g creatinine. ETU concentr ations in the food eaten by the volunteers were generally below the de tection limit whereas in wine 8.8 mu g/l ETU was detected. Evolution o f carbon sulphide by food samples ranged from 0.03 to 0.17 mg/kg. Mean (+/-S.D.) daily intake of ETU in wine was 3.5 +/- 0.2% of the accepta ble daily intake (ADI): 0.070 +/- 0.004 mu g/kg body wt. During the 8 days of the study, an average of 48.3% of the ETU ingested in wine was excreted unmodified by the kidneys. Twenty-four-hour urinary excretio n of ETU was significantly correlated with daily intake of ETU (r = 0. 768) and CS2 evolved by the daily food items (r = 0.414). (C) 1997 Els evier Science B.V.