Microflora of farm and hunted pheasants in relation to biogenic amines production

Abstract

The aim of the study was to compare, within 3-week cold storage, the content of eight biogenic amines (BA) and the development of microflora in different parts of bodies (breast and thigh muscles and liver) of farm pheasants and pheasants hunted in the wild. Killed and untreated bodies of pheasants were stored hanging in an air-conditioned chamber at a cold temperature (5 ± 1 °C). The pheasant bodies were subjected to microbiological analysis and identification of isolated microorganisms whose decarboxylase activity was detected. The production of biogenic amines and polyamines was determined by means of HPLC after pre-column derivatisation with dansylchloride. The total number of microorganisms in all parts of the pheasant bodies as well as the number of psychrotrophic bacteria, enterobacteria and lactic acid bacteria was increasing during storage (P < 0.05). A total of 127 strains of bacteria from the pheasant bodies were isolated and identified. Production of at least one biogenic amine was found in vitro in 107 isolates. Three strains were found to produce four biogenic amines—histamine, tyramine, putrescine and cadaverine. Production of phenylethylamine, tryptamine, spermidine and spermine in the isolated bacteria was not detected. Within all the biogenic amines detected in the analysed samples of pheasant bodies, the lowest concentration was found in histamine and the highest one in tyramine and cadaverine. The amount of BA detected in the individual parts of pheasant bodies was increasing during the storage period. The total amounts of seven biogenic amines (histamine, tyramine, putrescine, cadaverine, phenylethylamine, spermidine and spermine) in the individual parts of pheasant bodies were ranging between 9 and 708 mg/kg.