Biogenic amines and polyamines in meat and meat products were determined by HPLC. Spermine and spermidine were the only amines always detected in meat and meat products, ranging from 6.4 to 62.1 mg/kg for spermine and from 0.7 to 13.8 mg/kg for spermidine. Tyramine, histamine, putrescine, and cadaverine contents varied greatly, especially in ripened products and even among samples from the same commercial brand. Biogenic amines in cooked products were, in general, lower than 10 mg/kg, whereas 40% of ripened products reached levels above 300 mg/kg. Amine content in dry-cured ham was similar to those found in cooked products. High amounts of biogenic amines in some cooked products could be related to the use of low hygienic quality meat. Besides the contribution of the raw materials, amine formation can occur during the fermentative-ripening process. Adverse reactions due to interaction between monoamine oxidase inhibitors drugs and tyramine are expected in ripened products. Keywords: Biogenic amines; meat; meat products; tyramine; histamine; polyamines

Changes in 10 biogenic amines throughout tuna storage at 0, 8, and 20 °C were studied. ATP-related compounds, volatile amines, microbial counts, and organoleptic assessment were also monitored. No statistical differences were found for those parameters between samples from different anatomical areas. Similar evolution profiles were observed for biogenic amines at the three temperatures, although the highest amounts were achieved, in general, in samples stored at 20 °C. Histamine was the prevailing biogenic amine throughout storage, and the defect action level of 50 μg/g was surpassed in samples stored at 8 or 20 °C before organoleptic rejection. A great increase in cadaverine and tyramine and a slight increase in putrescine were also observed. Formation of histamine, tyramine, and cadaverine seems to be related to mesophilic flora, Enterobacteriaceae and coliforms. Hygienic quality estimation by means of trimethylamine values and IMP ratio yielded inconsistent results in samples corresponding to the limit of organoleptic acceptance. In accordance with the results of this work, we proposed for tuna assessment the use of an index calculated from the sum of the contents of histamine, tyramine, cadaverine, and putrescine which showed good correlations with both time of storage and organoleptic assessment. Keywords: Biogenic amines; histamine; tuna spoilage; ATP-related compounds; volatile amines

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The polyamines spermine, spermidine, and putrescine are involved in various biological processes, notably in cell proliferation and differentiation, and also have antioxidant properties. Dietary polyamines have important implications in human health, mainly in the intestinal maturation and in the differentiation and development of immune system. The antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effect of polyamine can also play an important role in the prevention of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular diseases. In addition to endogenous synthesis, food is an important source of polyamines. Although there are no recommendations for polyamine daily intake, it is known that in stages of rapid cell growth (i.e., in the neonatal period), polyamine requirements are high. Additionally, de novo synthesis of polyamines tends to decrease with age, which is why their dietary sources acquire a greater importance in an aging population. Polyamine daily intake differs among to the available estimations, probably due to different dietary patterns and methodologies of data collection. Polyamines can be found in all types of foods in a wide range of concentrations. Spermidine and spermine are naturally present in food whereas putrescine could also have a microbial origin. The main polyamine in plant-based products is spermidine, whereas spermine content is generally higher in animal-derived foods. This article reviews the main implications of polyamines for human health, as well as their content in food and breast milk and infant formula. In addition, the estimated levels of polyamines intake in different populations are provided.

Biogenic amines and polyamines were measured in unripened cheese and 4 types of ripened cheese. The study included cheeses produced from both pasteurized and raw milks. All amines were lower in unripened than in ripened cheeses. The amine contents varied among different types of ripened cheese, within the same type of cheese, and also within the parts of cheeses. The main amines in ripened cheeses were tyramine, cadaverine, and putrescine. The highest concentration of tyramine was found in hard-ripened raw-milk cheeses, while blue cheese had the highest level of cadaverine. Unripened cheeses could be considered as well-tolerated products for histamine-and tyramine-sensitive individuals, whereas the wide variability in biogenic amines makes it difficult to generalize this consideration for all ripened cheeses.