To explore the ethyl carbamate level in the spirits and assess the health risk of ethyl carbamate exposure among Chinese population.Methods The @Risk software was introduced and probabilistic assessment method was adopted to assess the risk of ethyl carbamate exposure from spirits consumption. The ethyl carbamate concentration data was derived from national food safety risk surveillance system between 2010 and 2011, and the spirits consumption data of population aged 18 and above was collected in Chinese nutrition and health survey 2002.Results The mean value of ethyl carbamate in spirits were 0.072 mg/kg. The average intake of ethyl carbamate and the margin of exposure (MOE) value among people aged 18 and above were 8.09 ng/kg BW per day and 37 083 respectively. However, the average intake of spirits consumers was 159.99 ng/kg BW per day and the margin of exposure value was 1 875. The probability of individual margin of exposure exceeding the level of public health concern was 0.052 and 0.455 for the whole population aged 18 and above and spirits consumers respectively.Conclusion For the people aged 18 and above, the health risk of ethyl carbamate exposure from spirits was of low concern, however, there was a quite high health risk caused by ethyl carbamate intake among spirits consumers.