Bacterial Production and Control of Biogenic Amines in Asian Fermented Soybean Foods

Abstract

Fermented soybean foods possess significant health-promoting effects and are consumed worldwide, especially within Asia, but less attention has been paid to the safety of the foods. Since fermented soybean foods contain abundant amino acids and biogenic amine-producing microorganisms, it is necessary to understand the presence of biogenic amines in the foods. The amounts of biogenic amines in most products have been reported to be within safe levels. Conversely, certain products contain vasoactive biogenic amines greater than toxic levels. Nonetheless, government legislation regulating biogenic amines in fermented soybean foods is not found throughout the world. Therefore, it is necessary to provide strategies to reduce biogenic amine formation in the foods. Alongside numerous existing intervention methods, the use of Bacillus starter cultures capable of degrading and/or incapable of producing biogenic amines has been proposed as a guaranteed way to reduce biogenic amines in fermented soybean foods, considering that Bacillus species have been known as fermenting microorganisms responsible for biogenic amine formation in the foods. Molecular genetic studies of Bacillus genes involved in the formation and degradation of biogenic amines would be helpful in selecting starter cultures. This review summarizes the presence and control strategies of biogenic amines in fermented soybean foods.

Plant‐based proteinaceous snacks: Effect of fermentation and ultrasonication on end‐product characteristics

“…Usually, fermentation with selected LAB leads to a reduction of undesirable microorganisms causing food spoilage; however, process conditions should be controlled, as fermentation of proteinaceous substrate can lead to the formation of biogenic amines (BAs). BAs are defined as harmful compounds produced by bacterial decarboxylation of amino acids in various foods (Mah, Park, Jin, Lee, & Hwang, 2019). However, it should be mentioned that BAs are natural endogenous compounds of plants, and their concentration depends on plant variety, maturity, and cultivation conditions (Gardini, Özogul, Suzzi, Tabanelli, & Özogul, 2016).…”

Biogenic Amine Contents and Microbial Characteristics of Cambodian Fermented Foods

“…Thus, Enterobacteriaceae were also reported to produce PUT, CAD, and to a lesser extent TYR. These BAs have also been detected when testing various Bacillus strains [67]. However, TYR should be mainly formed by LAB (Lactobacillus, Enterococcus) during fermentation [16].…”

“…In particular, Enterobacteriaceae were identified as HIS-producing bacteria, but also halophilic and halotolerant bacteria (among other representatives of the families Enterobacteriaceae, Pseudomonadaceae, and the genera Photobacterium, Vibrio, and Staphylococcus), LAB, Bacillus spp., and Clostridium spp. were said to be capable of HIS formation [14,57,67]. According to Rodriguez-Jerez et al, microbial species with the capacity to form HIS and those with the capacity to form other BAs are similar [68].…”

“…It should be kept in mind that decarboxylase activities are often related to strains rather than to species or genera [69]. The capabilities of such strains, in turn, vary depending on the type and even batch of food product from which the strains are isolated [67].…”

Biogenic amines formation and their importance in fermented foods

“…Microbial fermentation is one of the oldest and most practical technologies used in food processing and preservation. However, fermentation of protein-rich raw materials such as fish, meat, and soybean commonly provides abundant precursor amino acids of biogenic amines [5].…”