title: Levels of biogenic amines in retail market fermented meat products.
abstract: The qualitative and quantitative profile of biogenic amines (BA) in 50 samples of dry fermented sausages sold in Greek retail markets were determined by HPLC. Putrescine, cadaverine, tryptamine, β-phenylethylamine spermidine, spermine were analysed by UV detection after pre-column derivatization with benzoyl chloride, whereas tyramine and histamine were analysed by fluorescence detection after post-column derivatization with o-phthaldialdehyde (OPA). With the exception of spermidine and spermine a wide variation of BA levels was observed among the samples. Of the BA examined, tyramine, putrescine, histamine and cadaverine showed high concentrations ranging from: 0 to 510 mg/kg (median: 197.7 mg/kg), 0 to 505 mg/kg (median: 96.5mg/kg), 0 to 515 mg/kg (median: 7.0mg/kg) and 0 to 690 mg/kg (median: 3.6 mg/kg), respectively. The histamine content of 28% of the samples exceeded the toxicity limit of 100mg/kg set for histamine in some fish species. Levels of tryptamine and β-phenyl-ethylamine never exceeded 50 and 29 mg/kg, respectively. Results of the present study suggest that the amounts of BA in dry fermented sausages, sold in Greek retail markets, may pose a potential health risk for sensitive individuals or for those undergoing classical monoamine oxidase inhibiting (MAOI) drug therapy.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Food Technology, Department of Hygiene and Technology of Food of Animal Origin, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, GR 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece. ekpap@vet.auth.gr
authors.forename: Ekaterini J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Papavergou
authors.forename: Ioannis N
authors.initials: IN
authors.lastname: Savvaidis
authors.forename: Ioannis A
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Ambrosiadis
mesh_terms: D001679:Biogenic Amines / Q000032:analysis*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D005285:Fermentation; D006115:Greece; D008461:Meat Products / Q000032:analysis* / Q000191:economics
chemical_list: D001679:Biogenic Amines