Formation of Biogenic Amines in Pa (Green Onion) Kimchi and Gat (Mustard Leaf) Kimchi.

Jun-Hee Lee,Se Yun,Young Park,Jae-Hyung Mah,Young Jin

doi:10.3390/foods8030109

Abstract

In this study, biogenic amine content in Pa (green onion) kimchi and Gat (mustard leaf) kimchi, Korean specialty kimchi types, was determined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Many kimchi samples contained low levels of biogenic amines, but some samples had histamine and tyramine content over the safe levels. Based on the comparative analysis between the ingredient information on food labels and biogenic amine content of kimchi samples, Myeolchi-aekjeot appeared to be an important source of biogenic amines in both kimchi. Besides, through the 16s rRNA sequence analysis, Lactobacillus brevis appeared to be responsible for the formation of biogenic amines (tyramine, β-phenylethylamine, putrescine, and cadaverine) in both kimchi, in a strain-dependent manner. During fermentation, a higher accumulation of tyramine, β-phenylethylamine, and putrescine was observed in both or one (for putrescine) of kimchi types when L. brevis strains served as inocula. The addition of Myeolchi-aekjeot affected the initial concentrations of most biogenic amines (except for spermidine in Gat kimchi) in both kimchi. Therefore, this study suggests that using appropriately salted and fermented seafood products for kimchi preparation and using biogenic amine-negative and/or biogenic amine-degrading starter cultures would be effective in reducing biogenic amine content in Pa kimchi and Gat kimchi.

Highlights

Biogenic amines (BA), including vasoactive amines, putrefactive amines, and polyamines, are present in a wide range of food products
Among the data obtained from 15 samples of each type of kimchi, statistical outliers in datasets generated from two samples of each kimchi type were respectively excluded from the results, and thereby data from 13 samples of each kimchi type were used for calculation and interpretation of the experimental results
This study indicated that the amounts of BA in many samples of Pa kimchi and Gat kimchi were within the safe levels for human consumption, but several samples contained histamine and tyramine over the safe levels of the respective BA (100 mg/kg for both BA, respectively)

Summary

Introduction

Biogenic amines (BA), including vasoactive amines (tryptamine, β-phenylethylamine, histamine, and tyramine), putrefactive amines (putrescine and cadaverine), and polyamines (spermidine and spermine), are present in a wide range of food products. Various types of fermented foods have been reported to contain BA, because these nitrogenous compounds are produced by microbial decarboxylation of amino acids [1]. While amine oxidases are able to detoxify most BA, excessive consumption of BA and/or amine oxidase inhibition by drugs, alcohol, and gastrointestinal disease have been reported to reduce the efficiency of the enzymes [1,2]. Several studies have suggested the limits for consumption of BA as follows: β-phenylethylamine, 30 mg/kg; histamine, 100 mg/kg; tyramine, 100–800 mg/kg [4]; total BA, 1000 mg/kg [3]

Methods

Results

Conclusion