DETERMINATION OF BIOGENIC-AMINES IN FISH AND MEAT FOODS

Analytical determination of biogenic amines in foods is consideration of the biological activity of some of them; and as they can represent a quality index of foods, especially in relationship with the hygienic conditions of production process. A number of papers appear in the li terature, dealing with analytical methods, but scarce research about t heir characteristics shows that these methods are not quite suitable f or each kind of food and that a number of modifications should be intr oduced by time to time, in relationship with food characteristics. In this paper, the optimisation of the method is described for amines det ermination in fish and meat products; furthermore, data concerning inf luence of pH, kind of salt used for acid extract saturation, kind of a cid used for extraction from a solid matrix and choice of solvent mixt ure used in the purification steps are discussed.