SEPARATION, IDENTIFICATION AND ESTIMATION OF BIOGENIC-AMINES IN FOODSBY THIN-LAYER CHROMATOGRAPHY

A method for the separation, identification and estimation of eight bi ogenic amines (histamine, cadaverine, putrescine, phenylethylamine, ty ramine, tryptamine, spermidine and spermine) using silica gel TLC and spectrophotofluorometry is described. The complete resolution of the d ansylated derivatives of amines could not be achieved by one-dimension al TLC using any of 12 solvent systems examined. However, the derivati ves could be well separated by two-dimensional TLC in which the first development system was benzene/triethylamine/acetone (10: 1 :2, v/v/v) , while in the second direction the development system was benzene: tr iethylamine (5: 1 v/v). The R(f) values and the fluorescent colours of the amine dansyl derivatives aided their identification. The separate d fluorescent derivatives were extracted with acetonitrile and estimat ed spectrophotofluorometrically. The results obtained indicated that t he method is sensitive and precise, where the relative standard deviat ion was less than 10%. The method was applied to 10 dry sausage sample s and 10 fish samples. Dry sausage contained the eight biogenic amines with an average concentration similar to that which had been previous ly reported for sausage or meat products. Fish samples were free from tyramine, tryptamine and phenylethylamine. The other amines were found to be variable in their concentrations.