Effect of controlled atmospheres enriched with O 2 in formation of biogenic amines in chilled hake ( Merluccius merluccius L .)

Abstract

Changes in biogenic amines (tyramine, histamine, putrescine, cadaverine, agmatine and spermidine) contents during the storage of chilled hake in a controlled atmosphere with four gas mixtures of different CO2 and O2 concentrations, (CO2/O2/N2 at 60/15/25, 40/40/20, 60/40/0 and 40/60/0 respectively) were studied. Biogenic amines were determined by high-pressure liquid chromatography with post-column derivatization and ortho-phtaldehyde. Histamine levels, potentially the most toxic amine in hake, were very low during storage. The amine in hake with the highest level was cadaverine. Spermidine and putrescine had very high levels at the beginning of the storage. However, agmatine and tyramine were not detected in the source raw material. An increase in biogenic amines was observed in the control lot from day 12 of storage except for agmatine, where levels began to increase earlier. Cadaverine and agmatine could be used as control indices due to their behaviour during the storage period studied. The varying O2 and CO2 concentrations in the different atmospheres did not seem to affect the production of spermidine. The high levels of CO2 in thelot in M1 atmosphere were not sufficient to inhibit the production of biogenic amines. However, the high O2 concentration had an inhibiting effect on the production of biogenic amines. Therefore, the formation of biogenic amines was inhibited by controlled atmospheres with oxygen-enriched binary gas mixtures.