Fast and direct detection of biogenic amines in fish by GC-IMS technology

The presence of biogenic amines in food is of great concern to the food industry as, given the potential risk to human health, there is a growing demand from consumers and control authorities to reduce the allowed limits of biogenic amines in food and beverages. Several methodologies, such as differential culture media, specific enzyme methods and liquid chromatography, have been developed for the detection of biogenic amine-producing bacteria and to study some of their formation pathways. Along with the development of these techniques, the separation and quantification of biogenic amines have been studied and reported. Usually, their analysis and identification in foods is performed using chromatographic techniques. For the first time, a gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrometer (GC-IMS) device was used to detect biogenic amines without any sample preparation. Histamine, putrescine, cadaverine, tyramine, tryptamine, spermine, spermidine and phenethylamine were analyzed and identification from specific patterns was obtained. The monitoring of non-volatile amines emission from fish tissues matrices was also accomplished and the presence of some biogenic amines was detected.