Effects of gamma irradiation on the biogenic amines in pepperoni with different packaging conditions

Lactiplantibacillus plantarum 299V-fermented soy whey improved the safety and shelf life of Pacific oysters (Magallana gigas)

This study developed a postbiotic fermentation solution for fresh oyster preservation with the use of food waste soy whey. Lactiplantibacillus plantarum 299V was able to proliferate in soy whey within 24 h without any supplementation. Pacific oysters (Magallana gigas) were immersed in the postbiotic fermentation solution and stored at 4 °C for 12 days. Pathogenic bacteria Vibrio parahaemolyticus and Salmonella enterica introduced by bioaccumulation were suppressed to levels below the detection limit (<2 log CFU/g) within 4 days. The spoilage-related microbial parameters and chemical parameters were maintained at low levels across the 12 days. Sensory evaluation revealed that the product had a positive effect on most of the participants (>60%). Overall, the postbiotic fermentation solution reported in this study enhanced the shelf life and safety of oysters in a sustainable way and could also be recognized as an innovative probiotic vehicle with potential implications for human health promotion.

Reduction of histamine, putrescine and cadaverine by the bacteria Lacticaseibacillus casei depending on selected factors in the real condition of the dairy product

One way to effectively reduce the number of biogenic amines (BAs) in food is through enzymatic reduction using bacteria, such as lactic acid bacteria. This study focuses on the ability of the bacterial strain Lacticaseibacillus casei CCDM 198 to reduce the number of three important BAs (histamine, putrescine and cadaverine) over time, depending on different conditions (temperature and pH) in vitro and for the real dairy product - skimmed milk. The obtained results show that the studied strain significantly (P < 0.05) affects the number of individual amines, and the content of all amines has a decreasing character compared to the initial relative content of BAs at time zero. Furthermore, a statistical dependence (P < 0.05) of the rate of amine degradation on the combination of investigated factors was demonstrated. The presence and the activity of multicopper oxidase enzyme was also detected in this bacterial strain. This is the first known publication demonstrating multicopper oxidase activity in Lacticaseibacillus casei CCDM 198. Moreover, the studied strain is able to reduce the tested BAs in skimmed milk and would be a good candidate for degrading these toxic compounds in other dairy products, such as cheese. These findings could significantly enhance the food safety of dairy products.

The inhibitory effects of plant additives on biogenic amine formation in fermented foods - a review

Fermented food has unique properties and high nutritional value, and thus, should constitute a basic element of a balanced and health-promoting diet. However, it can accumulate considerable amount of biogenic amines (BAs), which ingested in excess can lead to adverse health effects. The application of plant-derived additives represents a promising strategy to ensure safety or enhance the functional and organoleptic properties of fermented food. This review summarizes currently available data on the application of plant-origin additives with the aim to reduce BA content in fermented products. The importance of ensuring fermented food safety has been highlighted considering the growing evidence of beneficial effects resulting from the consumption of this type of food, as well as the increasing number of individuals sensitive to BAs. The examined plant-origin additives reduced the BA concentration to varying degrees, and their efficacy depended on the type of additive, matrix, autochthonous, and inoculated microorganisms, as well as the manufacturing conditions. The main mechanisms of action include antimicrobial effects and the inhibition of microbial decarboxylases. Further research on the optimization of bioactive substances extraction, standardization of their chemical composition, and development of detailed procedures for its use in fermented products manufacturing are needed.

Microbial Spoilage of Traditional Goose Sausages Produced in a Northern Region of Italy

Recently, during the ripening of goose sausage, a defect consisting of ammonia and vinegar smell was noticed. The producer of the craft facility, located in Lombardia, a Northern region of Italy, asked us to identify the cause of that defect. Therefore, this study aimed to identify the potential responsible agents for the spoilage of this lot of goose sausages. Spoilage was first detected by sensory analysis using the "needle probing" technique; however, the spoiled sausages were not marketable due to the high ammonia and vinegar smell. The added starter culture did not limit or inhibit the spoilage microorganisms, which were represented by Levilactobacillus brevis, the predominant species, and by Enterococcus faecalis and E. faecium. These microorganisms grew during ripening and produced a large amount of biogenic amines, which could represent a risk for consumers. Furthermore, Lev. brevis, being a heterofermentative lactic acid bacteria (LAB), also produced ethanol, acetic acid, and a variation in the sausage colour. The production of biogenic amines was confirmed in vitro. Furthermore, as observed in a previous study, the second cause of spoilage can be attributed to moulds which grew during ripening; both the isolated strains, Penicillium nalgiovense, added as a starter culture, and P. lanosocoeruleum, present as an environmental contaminant, grew between the meat and casing, producing a large amount of total volatile nitrogen, responsible for the ammonia smell perceived in the ripening area and in the sausages. This is the first description of Levilactobacillus brevis predominance in spoiled goose sausage.

Impact of gamma radiation, potassium sorbate and low temperature on shrimp (Penaeus monodon) preservation

The objective this study was to assess the effect of gamma radiation and 2% potassium sorbate with low temperature (4 °C) for shrimp (Penaeus monodon) preservation. Fresh samples were prepared for treatment with gamma radiation at 1.0 and 1.5 kGy doses and potassium sorbate (2%) soaked for 30 s (PS 30 s) and 60 s (PS 60 s). Organoleptic score (OS), biochemical composition and microbiological analysis were performed to evaluate the shelf-life extension and quality changes during the storage periods. Data showed that combination treatment of gamma irradiation at 1.5 kGy with low temperature was the most effective in extending shelf-life of shrimp. The isolated bacteria associated with shrimp samples were identified through PCR technique. Antibiotic sensitivity test was examined using ten commonly used antibiotics against these pathogenic isolates. Gentamicin and Imipenem showed up to 50% resistance on Gram-positive (Bacillus cereus and Staphylococcus aureus). This study indicates that gamma irradiation treatment with low temperature was most effective way for shelf-life extension of shrimp which might reduce the wastage of this important nutritional source.

Changes in the microbiological quality and content of biogenic amines in chicken fillets packed using various techniques and stored under different conditions

The aim of this study was to determine the biogenic amines (BAs) formed in chicken breast meat packaged using different techniques (AP, Hi-O₂-MAP or VP) during the storage under different conditions (cold room or display case), to correlate the microbiological quality (TPC, LAB, Pseudomonas spp. and Enterobacteriaceae) of chicken meat with BAs formation and to assess the suitability of selected biogenic amines as indicators of chicken meat spoilage. The initial TPC of chicken fillets was 2.57-3.04 log cfu/g. Over time a systematic significant (p ≤ 0.05) increase in TPC was observed to >7.5 log cfu/g (AP and VP; display case) determined on day 9. It was found that cadaverine and tyramine dominated in quantitative terms in chicken fillets, regardless of packaging technique and storage conditions (166.00 mg/kg in AP meat in cold room on day 9 and 175.03 mg/kg on day 9 in MAP meat in display case, respectively). Taking into account the BAI, high and significant (p ≤ 0.05) correlation coefficients (from 0.51 to 0.95) were obtained with all analyzed indicators of microbiological quality. The concentration of cadaverine, putrescine contents or BAI can potentially serve as chemical quality indicator for freshness of chicken meat.

Presence of Biogenic Amines in Food and Their Public Health Implications: A Review

ABSTRACT

Essential foods as part of a daily meal may include numerous kinds of biogenic amines (BAs) at various concentrations. BAs have a variety of toxicological effects on human health and have been linked to multiple outbreaks of foodborne disease. BAs also are known to cause cancer based on their ability to react with nitrite salts, resulting in the production of carcinogenic organic compounds (nitrosamines). Ingestion of large quantities of BAs in food causes toxicological effects and health disorders, including psychoactive, vasoactive, and hypertensive effects and respiratory, gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, and neurological disorders. The toxicity of BAs is linked closely to the BAs histamine and tyramine. Other amines, such as phenylethylamine, putrescine, and cadaverine, are important because they can increase the negative effects of histamine. The key method for reducing BA concentrations and thus foodborne illness is management of the bacterial load in foods. Basic good handling and hygiene practices should be used to control the formation of histamine and other BAs and reduce the toxicity histamine and tyramine. A better understanding of BAs is essential to enhance food safety and quality. This review also includes a discussion of the public health implications of BAs in foods.

HIGHLIGHTS

A comprehensive review of the role of microorganisms on texture change, flavor and biogenic amines formation in fermented meat with their action mechanisms and safety

Meat fermentation ensures its preservation, improved safety and quality. This prominently used traditional process has survived for ages, creating physical, biochemical, and microbial changes, and to significantly affect the functionality, organoleptic property, and nutrition of the fermented products. In some process, the growth of various pathogenic and spoilage microorganisms is inhibited. The production of fermented meat relies on naturally occurring enzymes (in the muscle or the intestinal tract) as well as microbial metabolic activities. In this review, fermented meat types and their health benefits were firstly introduced. This was followed by a description of fermentation conditions vis-à-vis starters, bacterial, yeast and mold cultures, and their role in meat. The review focuses on how microorganisms affect texture change, flavor formation, and biogenic amines (BA) accumulation in fermented meat. In addition, the production conditions and the major biochemical changes in fermented meat products were also introduced to present the best factors influencing the quality of fermented meat. Microorganisms and microbial enzymes in fermented meats were discussed as they could affect organoleptic characteristics of fermented meats. Moreover, safety concerns and prospects for further research of fermented meat were also discussed with emphasis on novel probiotic and starter cultures development; bioinformatics, omics technologies and data modeling to maximize the benefit from fermentation process in meat production.

Process improvement to prevent the formation of biogenic amines during soy sauce brewing

Biogenic amines (BAs) are a class of bioactive organics produced during the fermentation of soy sauce. A high concentration of BAs may bring about serious physiological and toxicological effects on the human body. In this study, we reported an optimized process to produce soy sauce with lower BA concentration and found the contents of putrescine, cadaverine and histamine increased with the increase of fermentation temperature but decreased with the increase of NaCl concentration. The final content of total BAs with improved fermentation was 105.56 ± 0.13 mg/L, which was reduced by 89.11% compared to traditional brewing. Besides, the pilot production test was performed to verify the optimized conditions and physicochemical indexes were measured to better understand the change principle of the chemical compounds. Taken together, we present an effective process to inhibit the formation of BAs while ensuring that characteristic nutrients are not lost.

Impact of Biogenic Amines on Food Quality and Safety

Today, food safety and quality are some of the main concerns of consumer and health agencies around the world. Our current lifestyle and market globalization have led to an increase in the number of people affected by food poisoning. Foodborne illness and food poisoning have different origins (bacteria, virus, parasites, mold, contaminants, etc.), and some cases of food poisoning can be traced back to chemical and natural toxins. One of the toxins targeted by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) is the biogenic amine histamine. Biogenic amines (BAs) in food constitute a potential public health concern due to their physiological and toxicological effects. The consumption of foods containing high concentrations of biogenic amines has been associated with health hazards. In recent years there has been an increase in the number of food poisoning cases associated with BAs in food, mainly in relation to histamines in fish. We need to gain a better understanding of the origin of foodborne disease and how to control it if we expect to keep people from getting ill. Biogenic amines are found in varying concentrations in a wide range of foods (fish, cheese, meat, wine, beer, vegetables, etc.), and BA formation is influenced by different factors associated with the raw material making up food products, microorganisms, processing, and conservation conditions. Moreover, BAs are thermostable. Biogenic amines also play an important role as indicators of food quality and/or acceptability. Hence, BAs need to be controlled in order to ensure high levels of food quality and safety. All of these aspects will be addressed in this review.

Biogenic amines in foods

Biogenic amines are produced by bacterial decarboxylation of corresponding amino acids in foods. Concentration of biogenic amines in fermented food products is affected by several factors in the manufacturing process, including hygienic of raw materials, microbial composition, fermentation condition, and the duration of fermentation. Intake of low amount of biogenic amines normally does not have harmful effect on human health. However, when their amount in food is too high and detoxification ability is inhibited or disturbed, biogenic amines could cause problem. To control concentration of BAs in food, decarboxylase activity for amino acids can be regulated. Levels of BAs can be reduced by several methods such as packaging, additives, hydrostatic pressure, irradiation, pasteurization, smoking, starter culture, oxidizing formed biogenic amine, and temperature. The objective of this review paper was to collect, summarize, and discuss necessary information or useful data based on previous studies in terms of BAs in various foods.

Health and Safety Considerations of Fermented Sausages

Fermented sausages are highly treasured traditional foods. A large number of distinct sausages with different properties are produced using widely different recipes and manufacturing processes. Over the last years, eating fermented sausages has been associated with potential health hazards due to their high contents of saturated fats, high NaCl content, presence of nitrite and its degradation products such as nitrosamines, and use of smoking which can lead to formation of toxic compounds such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Here we review the recent literature regarding possible health effects of the ingredients used in fermented sausages. We also go through attempts to improve the sausages by lowering the content of saturated fats by replacing them with unsaturated fats, reducing the NaCl concentration by partly replacing it with KCl, and the use of selected starter cultures with desirable properties. In addition, we review the food pathogenic microorganisms relevant for fermented sausages(Escherichia coli,Salmonella enterica,Staphylococcus aureus,Listeria monocytogenes,Clostridium botulinum, andToxoplasma gondii)and processing and postprocessing strategies to inhibit their growth and reduce their presence in the products.

Technological Factors Affecting Biogenic Amine Content in Foods: A Review

Biogenic amines (BAs) are molecules, which can be present in foods and, due to their toxicity, can cause adverse effects on the consumers. BAs are generally produced by microbial decarboxylation of amino acids in food products. The most significant BAs occurring in foods are histamine, tyramine, putrescine, cadaverine, tryptamine, 2-phenylethylamine, spermine, spermidine, and agmatine. The importance of preventing the excessive accumulation of BAs in foods is related to their impact on human health and food quality. Quality criteria in connection with the presence of BAs in food and food products are necessary from a toxicological point of view. This is particularly important in fermented foods in which the massive microbial proliferation required for obtaining specific products is often relater with BAs accumulation. In this review, up-to-date information and recent discoveries about technological factors affecting BA content in foods are reviewed. Specifically, BA forming-microorganism and decarboxylation activity, genetic and metabolic organization of decarboxylases, risk associated to BAs (histamine, tyramine toxicity, and other BAs), environmental factors influencing BA formation (temperature, salt concentration, and pH). In addition, the technological factors for controlling BA production (use of starter culture, technological additives, effects of packaging, other non-thermal treatments, metabolizing BA by microorganisms, effects of pressure treatments on BA formation and antimicrobial substances) are addressed.

Microbiological quality and biogenic amines in ready-to-eat grilled chicken fillets under vacuum packing, freezing, and high-dose irradiation

The combined effects of cooking, vacuum packing, freezing, and high-dose gamma irradiation in the microbiological conservation and in biogenic amine (BA) contents of ready-to-eat grilled breast chicken fillets are investigated in this work. After seasoning, cooking, and vacuum packing, one-third of the samples were stored at -25°C (T1). The remaining two-thirds were treated with 48 kGy, one-third being stored at -25°C (T2) and the other one-third kept at room temperature (T3). All samples were periodically analyzed to determine growth of heterotrophic aerobic mesophilic bacteria (HAMB) and levels of BA (tyramine, TYM; putrescine, PUT; cadaverine, CAD; spermidine, SPD; histamine, HYM; and spermine, SPM). Variance analysis was performed to determine significant changes in the measured data. Grilling caused HAMB counts in seasoned samples to drop from 5.3 log cfu/g to zero. In addition, no viable HAMB cells were detected in the samples throughout the 12-mo storage time. Regarding the BA analyses, the highest mean levels were measured for SPM and CAD with significantly higher levels (P < 0.05) being determined in nonirradiated samples (T1). Furthermore, significantly lower mean levels for the total content of BA were observed in the irradiated samples. Relative to T1 (7.5 ± 1.5 mg/kg), the figures were 47 ± 23% for T2 and 60 ± 25% for T3, mostly due to loss of CAD by radiolysis. Therefore, it can be concluded that the combination of grilling, vacuum packing, freezing, and high-dose gamma irradiation efficiently eliminated HAMB, while sustaining acceptable levels of BA in ready-to-eat chicken breast fillets throughout the 12 mo of storage at room temperature.

Effect of irradiation and storage on biogenic amine contents in ripened Egyptian smoked cooked sausage

The effects of γ-irradiation upon the biogenic amine inventory in Egyptian smoked cooked sausages were investigated for the first time during storage for up to 90 days at 4 °C. Typical contents of biogenic amines in non-irradiated sausages ranged between 125.50 and 596.18 mg/kgDW; irradiation with 4 and 6 kGy decreased said total contents to 105.20-94.82 and 104.98-26.44 mg/kgDW respectively, by the end of storage. Putrescine and cadaverine were the major amines in non-irradiated samples-where it accounted for 33% and 29% respectively, of the total by 90 days; however, tyramine dominated in irradiated samples with 2, 4 and 6 kGy, where it accounted for 44, 52 and 42%. On the other hand, the histamine content in non-irradiated sausage by 90 days of storage (i.e. 109.12 mg/kgDW) clearly exceeded the maximum allowable of 50 mg/kg, unlike happened in their irradiated counterparts. Therefore, the dramatic reduction observed in the histamine levels suggests use of this preservation technique for that traditional meat food.

Control of biogenic amines in food--existing and emerging approaches

Biogenic amines have been reported in a variety of foods, such as fish, meat, cheese, vegetables, and wines. They are described as low molecular weight organic bases with aliphatic, aromatic, and heterocyclic structures. The most common biogenic amines found in foods are histamine, tyramine, cadaverine, 2-phenylethylamine, spermine, spermidine, putrescine, tryptamine, and agmatine. In addition octopamine and dopamine have been found in meat and meat products and fish. The formation of biogenic amines in food by the microbial decarboxylation of amino acids can result in consumers suffering allergic reactions, characterized by difficulty in breathing, itching, rash, vomiting, fever, and hypertension. Traditionally, biogenic amine formation in food has been prevented, primarily by limiting microbial growth through chilling and freezing. However, for many fishing based subsistence populations, such measures are not practical. Therefore, secondary control measures to prevent biogenic amine formation in foods or to reduce their levels once formed need to be considered as alternatives. Such approaches to limit microbial growth may include hydrostatic pressures, irradiation, controlled atmosphere packaging, or the use of food additives. Histamine may potentially be degraded by the use of bacterial amine oxidase or amine-negative bacteria. Only some will be cost-effective and practical for use in subsistence populations.

Tyrosine- and histidine-decarboxylase positive lactic acid bacteria and enterococci in dry fermented sausages

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and enterococci were isolated immediately after stuffing (day 0), at the end of ripening (28th day) and at the end of storage (112th day) from dry fermented sausages produced by two different producers (K; R) in two diameters (4.5 and 7 cm) using either of two spice mixtures (P; H) and either of two starter cultures (Pediococcus pentosaceus, C; Lactobacillus curvatus+Staphylococcus carnosus, F), resulting in a total of 16 different combinations. Tyrosine-decarboxylase DNA sequence (tyrdc) was identified on average in 88% and 44% of enterococci and LAB isolates, respectively at the end of ripening, the corresponding figures regarding histidine-decarboxylase gene sequence (hisdc) was 71% and 16%, respectively. Lactobacillus plantarum, L. brevis and L. casei/paracasei, and Enterococcus faecium and Enterococcus faecalis were identified as tyramine/histamine producers in the sausages.

Irradiated Chinese Rugao ham: Changes in volatile N-nitrosamine, biogenic amine and residual nitrite during ripening and post-ripening

N-nitrosamines, biogenic amines and residual nitrite are harmful substances and often present in cured meat. The effects of gamma-irradiation (γ-irradiation) on these chemicals in dry-cured Chinese Rugao ham during ripening and post-ripening were investigated. Rugao hams were irradiated at a dose of 5kGy before ripening and were then ripened in an aging loft. Although γ-irradiation degraded tyramine, putrescine and spermine, on the other hand, it promoted the formation of spermidine, phenylethylamine, cadaverine and tryptamine. Residual nitrite was significantly reduced by γ-irradiation. N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA), N-nitrosodiethylamine (NDEA) and N-nitrosopyrrolidine (NPYR) were found in Chinese Rugao ham during ripening and post-ripening but could be degraded with γ-irradiation. The results suggest that γ-irradiation may be a potential decontamination measure for certain chemical compounds found in dry-cured meat.

Control of microorganisms and reduction of biogenic amines in chicken breast and thigh by irradiation and organic acids

The effect of irradiation or organic acid treatment of raw chicken breast and thigh meat to control inoculated microorganisms and the production of biogenic amines (BA) was studied. Bacillus cereus, Enterobacter cloacae, and Alcaligenes faecalis were selected and inoculated into raw ground chicken breast and thigh meat at approximately 10(7) cfu/g. The samples were irradiated at 0, 0.5, 1, and 2 kGy or mixed with a 0.2 M solution of acetic, citric, or lactic acid (1 mL for 10 g of meat sample) for 24 h at 4 degrees C. Viable cell counts and BA contents were determined. Irradiation was effective in reducing the inoculated bacteria: 0.5 kGy achieved approximately a 2-log reduction, and no viable cells were detected at a dose of 2 kGy. In contrast, only up to a 1-log reduction was achieved by organic acid treatment except for citric acid, which achieved approximately a 3-log reduction of E. cloacae. Both the irradiation and organic acid treatment of raw chicken breast and thigh reduced the BA content, but the rate of BA reduction differed by inoculated organism and treatment (irradiation or organic acid). Although irradiation was an excellent method for controlling inoculated microorganisms, the content of BA produced was similar to that of the organic acid treatment of raw chicken breast and thigh meat.

Study of gamma-irradiation effects on chitosan microparticles

Gamma (gamma)-irradiation is finding increasing use in the sterilization of pharmaceutical products. However, irradiation also might affect the performance of drug delivery systems. In this study, the influence of gamma-irradiation on the characteristics of chitosan microparticles was investigated. The diclofenac sodium was incorporated into chitosan microparticles by spray-drying method. The chitosan microparticles (placebo and drug-loaded) were irradiated at doses of 5, 15, and 25 kGy using a (60)Co source. Later, the microparticles were characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry, scanning electron microscopy, and atomic force microscopy. In addition, microparticles also were evaluated for their sizes, drug content, swelling, and drug release behavior. Encapsulation efficiency of irradiated and nonirradiated microparticles was essentially the same. Notably, surface roughness (rms) of placebo microparticles decreased significantly after gamma-irradiation when compared with nonirradiated placebo microparticles. FTIR spectroscopy revealed that gamma-irradiation of chitosan microparticles induced neither cross-linking nor formation of new group in the chitosan matrix. EPR spectroscopy results showed that the gamma rays induced only one kind of free radical in the chitosan matrix. Size, crystallinity, and thermal properties of the chitosan microparticles did not change much after gamma-irradiation. gamma-irradiated microparticles, exhibited a slightly higher drug release rate and low swelling capacity than the nonirradiated microparticles.

Biologically active polyamines in beef, pork and meat products: A review

Dietary polyamines (PAs) putrescine (PUT), spermidine (SPD) and spermine (SPM) participate in an array of roles in human metabolism. Nevertheless, under some physiological conditions they can be undesirable. Meat and meat products are among important sources of PAs in human nutrition, mainly of SPM. The usual contents of PUT, SPD and SPM in fresh beef and pork are <2, <5 and 20-40mgkg(-1), respectively. Current information on changes of PAs during meat storage corresponds with PUT formation by bacterial activity mainly of pseudomonads and Enterobacteriaceae. However, data on SPD and SPM changes during meat chill-storage have been inconsistent. Culinary processing of meat probably does not change SPD and SPM levels. PUT can be formed in different meat products in relation to the microbial population of the raw materials used and the hygienic level of manufacturing process. SPD and SPM contents seem to remain stable during processing of non-fermented meat products or decrease during dry-cured ham ripening. PUT contents increase commonly to 60-140mgkg(-1) in dry spontaneously fermented sausages, however, contents up to several hundreds mgkg(-1) are not extraordinary. Starter cultures are usually able to decrease PUT formation considerably. SPD and SPM contents in dry fermented sausages are comparable with levels typical for fresh meat. Data on SPD and SPM changes during ripening and storage are inconsistent. A decrease of the both polyamines during a storage period has been usually reported.