Tyramine production by a strain of Carnobacterium divergens inoculated in meat–fat mixture

Abstract

This study determined if a strain of Carnobacterium divergens producing tyramine in laboratory medium is able to produce this amine in meat. Thus the strain was inoculated into a sterile meat–fat mixture of initial pH 5.3 or 4.9 and incubated at 15°C or 25°C. Amine production in these samples was measured at 12 days and compared to that in non-inoculated samples. Non-inoculated samples and those inoculated with C. divergens had the same low content of tryptamine, putrescine, cadaverine, histamine, spermine and spermine. Maximum tyramine and phenylethylamine production was observed in sample of initial pH 5.3 inoculated with C. divergens and incubated at 25°C. The amount of tyramine produced correlated with the growth of the strain, and the amount of lactate and acetate produced.