Histamine in alcoholic drinks

Oral challenge with food additives

A randomized, placebo-controlled oral challenge with food additives (preservatives and food colorings) was carried out in 101 patients with eczema of undetermined origin who suspected that the intake of certain foods aggravated their dermatitis. 37 reacted to 1 or more of the food additives but not to a placebo, while 16 reacted to the placebo, or both the placebo and food additives. 48 had no reactions. The difference between the number of reactions to the food additives and the number of reactions to the placebo was not statistically significant. The reactions could be reproduced in only 1/3 of those challenged twice. It was not possible to correlate the reactions to food additives to reactivity to specific foodstuffs containing the same additives. If intolerance to food additives is suspected, an elimination diet seems warranted, regardless of whether the patient reacts to oral challenge with food additives.

[The biosynthesis of aroma compounds by microorganisms. I. Formation of N-acetyl-amines by saccharomyces cerevisiae]

Only primary amines were transformed to secondary acetamides by Saccharomyces cerevisiae in anaerobic model fermentations. Secondary amines and L-amino acids don't form N-acetyl-amines. Maximal rates of acetylation were obtained with 2- and 3-methyl-butylamine as acceptors of the postulated aminacetylase-reaction. The rate of acetylation of 2-phenylethylamine amounted to 12%; n-heptyl- and n-octylamine were transformed only in traces. At the example of 2-methyl-butylamine the kinetics of the reaction and the influence of the pH-value, of different N-sources and different concentrations of 2,4-dinitrophenol on the rate of acetylation have been examined. The identification and the determination of the microbiologically formed volatile compounds have been realised by means of the gaschromatography, concerning the qualitative experiments under mass-spectrometrical control.