Biogenic amines in rennet ripening cheeses as a health risk to consumers

Abstract

SummaryBiogenic amines are nitrogen compounds which are products of the decarboxylation of free amino acids. They are produced with the participation of bacterial microflora producing enzymes, and they may be introduced together with food into the human body. The highest amounts of biogenic amines are found in meat, fish and cheeses. Consumption of products containing biogenic amines can cause food poisoning and allergies in consumers. The most common amines in cheeses are tyramine, histamine, putrescine, cadaverine and 2-phenylethylamine. The formation of amines depends on the technology of food production, storage conditions (temperature, time, pH, moisture), the quality of the raw materials (the content of free amino acids, proteins, salts, sugars) and the presence of microorganisms producing decarboxylases. This article describes different types of biogenic amines, their formation, detection methods and health risks to consumers. Information on the harmfulness of biogenic amines and on factors conducive to their production may help prevent poisoning with these compounds.

Histamine content in rennet ripening cheeses during storage at different temperatures and times

“…Given that the toxic threshold dose for histamine in cheeses has been temporarily established at 400 mg/kg (29), it was found that the amine content exceeded this value in Gorgonzola cheese after 28 and 42 days of storage at 22°C, where its levels reached 400.29 ± 10.13 and 730.47 ± 20.01 mg/kg, respectively, and reached this toxicity level in Camembert cheese on day 112 stored at 4°C (405.21 ± 30.06 mg/kg). The wide variability of histamine concentration in different cheeses may depend on type of cheese, ripening time, conditions of manufacturing process, and bacterial starter culture used (16,20,21). In the present study less histamine was detected in hard cheeses than soft ones and its amount was low (in a range from below the limit of detection to 35.84 ± 4.12 mg/kg).…”

“…This intoxication manifests itself in headaches, hypotension, vomiting, diarrhoea, cramping, skin rashes and swellings (3). Histamine is degraded in the body by oxidative deamination catalysed by monoamine and diamine oxidases (21,26). However, after ingestion of food with high concentrations of histamine, in the absence or scarcity of these enzymes (e.g.…”