2. Thin-layer Chromatography (TLC)
Different solvent systems were evaluated for their ability to separate biogenic amines by thin-
layer chromatography (TLC).
Dansyl derivatives of agmatine, putrescine, tryptamine, cadaverine, spermidine, histamine,
spermine, tyramine and beta-phenylethylamine were separated using the solvent system
After separation they were quantified by fluorescence densitometry at 330 nm
Detection limits were 10mg for tryptamine, histamine and beta-phenylethylamine, and 5 mg
for the other amines.
The overall repeatability of the chromatography was 1.82% and barely 1.02% for the other
amines.
This thin-layer chromatography method was found to be an effective and precise analytical
procedure to separate and determine biogenic amines.
3. Gas Chromatography (GC)
A gas chromatograph is made of a narrow tube, known as the column,
through which the vaporized sample passes, carried along by a continuous
flow of inert or nonreactive gas.
Components of the sample pass through the column at different rates,
depending on their chemical and physical properties
The column is typically enclosed within a temperature controlled oven.
As the chemicals exit the end of the column
4. Capillary Electrophoresis (CE)
Capillary electrophoresis (CE) is a powerful analytical technique that can be used for the
determination of biogenic amines in food.
Biogenic amines are naturally occurring compounds found in many foods, including
fermented products such as cheese, wine, and beer.
They are formed by the decarboxylation of amino acids by microorganisms and can have an
impact on the flavor, aroma, and overall quality of food products.
CE is a separation technique that utilizes an electric field to drive the migration of charged
analytes through a narrow capillary tube.
The use of CE for the determination of biogenic amines in food has been widely researched in
the past decades.
5. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)
HPLC is the most widely used separation technique. It can be very sensitive, specific, and
precise.
It is a specialized form of column chromatography used in biochemistry and analysis to
separate, identify and quantify active ingredients in mixtures.
Retention times are variable and primarily depend on the interaction between the stationary
phase, the molecule of interest, and the solvent used.
A small amount of sample to be analyzed is introduced into the mobile phase stream and is
delayed by specific chemical or physical interactions with the stationary phase.
Methanol and acetonitrile are the most commonly used solvents in high performance liquid
chromatography (HPLC).
6. Legal Limits
Several researchers have reported on the maximum tolerable biogenic amine levels in humans.
On the contrary, the United States Food and Drug Administration have defined a stricter level 50
mg/kg (FDA, 2019).
In the case of fishery products, histamine levels above the FDA limits were reported for samples
belonging to 11 types of products
a) salted mackerel
b) salted fish
c) salted shrimp
d) dried milkfish
e) dried bullet mackerel
f) dried round scad
g) dried smooth-tailed trevally
7. Control Measures
Currently, two strategies seem to be in the epicenter of research , the use of natural
products, essential oils or various extracts, and the use of nanotechnology.
The use of essential oils or extracts of a wide variety of plant materials for food
preservation has been extensively considered. This is also the case of fish and
fishery products.
The results obtained have revealed that the effect depends upon the type of plant
and extract applied, the additional preservation measures employed, the type of
fish and time.
