Quantitative Analysis of Biogenic Amines in Different Cheese Varieties Obtained from the Korean Domestic and Retail Markets.

Sujatha Kandasamy,Han Byul Kang,Jun-Sang Ham,Jayeon Yoo,Kuk-Hwan Seol,Jeonghee Yun

doi:10.3390/metabo11010031

Sujatha Kandasamy, Han Byul Kang + Show 4 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/metabo11010031

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Abstract

To evaluate the safety and risk assessment of cheese consumption in the Republic of Korea, sixty cheese samples purchased from the farmstead and retails markets (imported) were analyzed for their biogenic amine (BA) contents. The BA profiles and quantities of eight amines (tryptamine, 2-phenylethylamine, putrescine, cadaverine, histamine, tyramine, spermidine, and spermine) were determined using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Spermine was the only amine detectable in all the samples. The BAs of fresh cheeses from both farmstead and retail markets were mostly undetectable, and comparatively at lower levels (<125 mg/kg) than ripened samples. Putrescine was undetectable in all the domestic ripened cheeses. The sum of BA levels in the imported ripened cheeses of Pecorino Romano (1889.75 mg/kg) and Grana Padano (1237.80 mg/kg) exceeds >1000 mg/kg, of which histamine accounts nearly 86 and 77% of the total levels, respectively. The tolerable limits of the potential toxic amines, histamine and tyramine surpassed in four and three imported ripened samples, respectively. Furthermore, the presence of potentiators (putrescine and cadaverine) together in samples even with a lower level of toxic amines alarms the risk in consumption. Therefore, adoption of strict hygienic practices during the entire chain of cheese production, along with obligatory monitoring and regulation of BA in cheeses seems to be mandatory to ensure the safety of the consumers.

Highlights

Biogenic amines (BAs) are toxic, non-volatile, bioactive low molecular nitrogenous organic bases with an aliphatic, aromatic, or a heterocyclic structure
The content of nine BAs in the domestic and imported cheese samples purchased from the farms and retail markets in the Republic of Korea (ROK) was determined using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)-DAD analysis
The limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) established for the cheese samples varied from 0.16 to 0.38 and 0.53 to 1.25 mg/kg respectively, and linearity ranged from 0.992 to 0.997

Summary

Introduction

Biogenic amines (BAs) are toxic, non-volatile, bioactive low molecular nitrogenous organic bases with an aliphatic, aromatic, or a heterocyclic structure. These amines are produced via the catalytic action of substrate-specific microbial (mainly bacteria) decarboxylases that remove the α-carboxyl group of respective free precursor amino acids (histidine, tyrosine, ornithine, lysine, tryptophan, and phenylalanine) to yield their resultant amines (histamine, tyramine, putrescine, cadaverine, tryptamine, and β-phenylethylamine) [1,2]. BAs can enter the blood circulation system and might trigger several undesirable effects under situations of inadequate detoxification that occurs via the consumption of higher BA levels or because the intestinal detoxification system collapses or weakens due to the inhibitors of detoxification enzymes [2,5]

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