A GC-MS method for quantitation of histamine and other biogenic amines in beer

A GC-MS method has been developed for simultaneous measurement of the conce ntrations of 22 volatile and non-volatile biogenic amines (methylamine, dim ethylamine, ethylamine, diethylamine, propylamine, isopropylamine, butylami ne, isobutylamine, amylamine, isoamylamine, 2-methylbutylamine, hexylamine, pyrrolidine, piperidine, morpholine, 1,3-diaminopropane, putrescine, cadav erine, 1,6-diaminohexane, beta -phenylethylamine, tyramine, and histamine) in alcoholic beverages. The method was based on a previously reported two-p hase derivatization procedure with isobutyl chloroformate, which reacted qu antitatively with all the amines in 10 min. After eliminating excess reagen t, by treatment with alkaline methanol or by evaporation (tyramine and hist amine determination), the derivatized extracts were analyzed by GC-MS with single-ion monitoring (SIM). Quantitation of amines was achieved by use of a set of eight different internal standards, including five deuterated isot opic analogs. The method has excellent analytical characteristics. It has been used to as say the concentrations of these biogenic amines in thirteen samples of comm ercially available beers. Eleven biogenic amines were found in all the samp les; putrescine (maximum 6.9 mg L-1) and tyramine (maximum 1.7 mg L-1) were the most abundant. Histamine was found in all samples at very low levels ( maximum 147 mug L-1).