Biogenic amines production by lactic acid bacteria

Abstract

Biogenic amines (BAs) are organic bases with aliphatic, aromatic or heterocyclic structures that can be found in several foods. They are mainly produced by microbial decarboxylation of amino acids. Removal of the alpha-carboxyl group from amino acids leads to the corresponding BA. The most common amines, histamine, tyramine, tryptamine, putrescine and cadaverine are formed from histidine, tyrosine, tryptophan, ornithine and lysine, respectively. BAs are undesirable in all foods and beverages. They are related to the quality of foods their quantities are considered a marker of the level of microbiological contamination. BA can induce headaches, respiratory distress, heart palpitations, hyper or hypotension, and several allergenic disorders. Histamine is physiologically the most important BA. It is a substance with pharmacological activity (mediator) and is involved in pathophysiological processes such as allergies and inflammations. Histidine/histamine exchange due to a decarboxylation of the amino acid is a secondary energy transducing processes in lactic acid bacteria (LAB) that can contribute to the generation of a proton motive force. In this process additional H+ consumption occurs during metabolism leading to the generation of a pH gradient. Strains of Oenococcus oeni and heterofermentative lactobacilli from wine are able to produce BAs. In cheese this production has often been linked to nonstarter LAB which produces histamine, tyramine, putrescine and cadaverine and Enterobacteriaceae that mainly produces tyramine. The high amounts of proteins present in dry fermented sausages can potentially support the accumulation of BAs. The proteolytic activity during ripening provides the precursors for decarboxylase activity of starter cultures and/or wild microflora.