STUDIES ON THE DETERMINATION OF BIOGENIC-AMINES IN FOODS .1. DEVELOPMENT OF A TLC METHOD FOR THE DETERMINATION OF 8 BIOGENIC-AMINES IN FISH

Ingestion of foods that contain high levels of histamine causes clinic al symptoms, namely histamine poisoning. During the course of this inv estigation eight biogenic amines in fish samples, including histamine, putrescine, cadaverine, tyramine, tryptamine, spermine, spermidine, a nd beta-phenylethylamine, were separated and quantitated by TLC techni que. Many solvent systems were evaluated, with the best separation in one dimension when benzene/triethylamine (5:1) was used as a developin g system, which enabled separation of histamine in addition to spermin e, tyramine, and beta-phenylethylamine. However, the other four biogen ic amines were not separated using this developing system. The only wa y to separate the eight tested biogenic amines was by using a two-dime nsional TLC procedure. The running system in the first direction was b enzene/triethylamine/acetone (10:2:1), and the solvent system in the s econd direction was benzene/triethylamine (5:1). This method provides a simple and inexpensive means to separate and detect biogenic amines in fish samples.