title: Molecular methods for the detection of biogenic amine-producing bacteria on foods.
abstract: Biogenic amines are low molecular weight organic bases that can be detected in raw and processed foods. Several toxicological problems resulting from the ingestion of food containing biogenic amines have been described. Biogenic amines are mainly produced by the decarboxylation of certain amino acids by microbial action. Since the ability of microorganisms to decarboxylate amino acid is highly variable, being in most cases strain-specific, the detection of bacteria possessing amino acid decarboxylase activity is important to estimate the risk of biogenic amine food content and to prevent biogenic amine accumulation in food products. Molecular methods for the early and rapid detection of these producer bacteria are becoming an alternative to traditional culture methods. PCR methods offer the advantages of speed, sensitivity, simplicity and specific detection of amino acid decarboxylase genes. Moreover, these molecular methods detect potential biogenic amine risk formation in food before the amine is produced. The aim of the present review is to give a complete overview of the molecular methods proposed in the literature for the detection of biogenic amine-producing bacteria. These genetic procedures allow the introduction of early control measures to avoid the development of these bacteria.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Microbiología, Instituto de Fermentaciones Industriales, CSIC, Juan de la Cierva 3, 28006 Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: José María
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Landete
authors.forename: Blanca
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: de Las Rivas
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Marcobal
authors.forename: Rosario
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Muñoz
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001483:Base Sequence; D001679:Biogenic Amines / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D003653:Decarboxylation; D005285:Fermentation; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis*; D005516:Food Microbiology; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000201:enzymology / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000378:metabolism; D006094:Gram-Positive Bacteria / Q000201:enzymology / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000378:metabolism; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D016415:Sequence Alignment
chemical_list: D001679:Biogenic Amines