Analysis of biogenic amines in northern and southern European sausages and role of flora in amine production

The biogenic amine contents, microbial counts and flora producing amines were investigated in four types of fermented sausages. Southern type European sausages (Italian and Belgian) showed higher tyramine and phenylethylamine values than northern type ones (Norwegian and Belgian). The spontaneous non-starter lactic acid bacteria could be responsible for the production of these amines in the Italian products, and the cocci Gram positive in the Belgian South ones. The Norwegian sausages showed the lowest total amine content of those studied. The two Belgian types were characterised by the highest putrescine contents, associated with high counts of Enterococcus. The production of amines in vitro by the starter cultures used in the manufacture of the sausages revealed that none of the Lactobacillus species produced any amines and only Kocuria varians and Staphylococcus carnosus showed phenylethylamine and tryptamine production. High correlations were found between the content of putrescine, histamine and cadaverine.