Various biogenic amines in Doenjang and changes in concentration depending on boiling and roasting

Abstract

Biogenic amines are formed by microorganisms during fermentation. Major biogenic amines found in food are histamine, tryptamine, 2-phenylethylamine, putrescine, cadaverine, tyramine, spermidine, and spermine. Doenjang is a traditional fermented food made of soybean and is widely used for cooking of various foods in Korea. During fermentation, harmful substances such as biogenic amines could be produced in Doenjang. In this study, we examined the types and quantities of biogenic amines in commercial Doenjang and analyzed the destructive effects of cooking on biogenic amines in Doenjang. Biogenic amines were identified by high-performance liquid chromatography with a fluorescence detector (HPLC-FLD). The concentrations of biogenic amines in commercial Doenjang depended on the manufacturer and ranged from none detected to 415.08 mg/kg. Putrescine and tryptamine were the most abundant biogenic amines in Doenjang samples, whereas cadaverine was not detected in any commercial samples. For all cooking conditions, tryptamine, 2-phenylethylamine, putrescine, and tyramine were detected in Doenjang, and their concentrations decreased significantly after 10 min of roasting. The total concentration of biogenic amines in Doenjang soup was not changed significantly by boiling. Therefore, roasting, unlike boiling, can be considered more effective at reducing the amount of biogenic amines in Doenjang.