BIOGENIC-AMINE FORMATION BY POULTRY-ASSOCIATED SPOILAGE AND PATHOGENIC BACTERIA

The production of biogenic amines by 50 poultry-associated bacterial s trains (25 Pseudomonas, 13 Salmonella and 12 Listeria) was investigate d on amine agar plates containing lysine, histidine, ornithine, phenyl alanine, tryptophan and tyrosine. Seventy-four per cent of all the str ains produced cadaverine and putrescine, while phenylethylamine, hista mine, tyramine and tryptamine were produced by 72, 56, 34 and 24% of s trains, respectively. Different patterns of biogenic amine production amongst the three bacterial genera tested were apparent as well as amo ngst strains of the same genus. This study highlighted a high incidenc e of biogenic amine-producing bacterial strains associated with poultr y.