Biogenic amine determination in Tulum cheese by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)

Biogenic amines in 20 Tulum cheese samples, collected randomly from superma rkets of Ankara, were determined by using high performance liquid chromatog raphy (HPLC) with precolumn derivatization. Tryptamine, phenylethylamine, p utrescine, cadaverine, histamine, tyramine, spermidine and spermine content s of the samples were screened. The microbiological counts of lactic acid b acteria, coliform bacteria, total mesophilic aerobic bacteria and yeast and moulds in the samples were also determined. Phenylethylamine ranging from 64+/-3.34 to 331+/-19.1 mg/100 g and putrescine ranging from 17.2+/-3.23 to 86.7+/-7.01 mg/100 g were the biogenic amines present in highest concentra tions in Tulum cheese. The changes of the microbiological counts were also determined after storage at 5 and 20 degrees C for 3 months. Amines were in low concentrations at the beginning, but they were increased after the sto rage due to the proteolysis by bacteria. Tyramine was the highest biogenic amine in some samples after storage at 5 and 20 degrees C.