Fermented foods, including fermented soy products, are of particular concern regarding formation of biogenic amines, which arise as a consequence of microbial activity. Histamine and tyramine are of the greatest toxicological importance due to their adverse effects on the neurological and cardiovascular systems. For healthy people, the threshold for such effects is 50 mg of histamine and 600 mg of tyramine in one dose (i.e., daily).
In this work, 28 samples of fermented soy products (sauces, meat substitutes, dairy substitutes, tofu and related products) collected on the Serbian market were analyzed for thepresence of biogenic amines (histamine, tyramine, tryptamine, phenylethylamine, putrescine, cadaverine, spermidine, and spermine) by the HPLC-UV method.
The results revealed the presence of at least one of the targeted biogenic amines in all except one sample. Overall, the most frequently found amine was putrescine (71.4%), followed by tyramine (64.3%) and phenylethylamine (57.1%), while histamine was detected in 39.3% of the samples. The concentration range of total biogenic amines was 10.9-2766 mg/kg. Soy sauces exhibited the most frequent presence and the highest concentrations of histamine (63.6%, up to 503.7 mg/kg) and tyramine (90.9%, up to 948 mg/kg), followed by tofu and related products (up to 100 and 83.3 mg/kg, respectively). In contrast, dairy substitutes contained only phenylethylamine and putrescine in low concentrations.
In conclusion, considering that the mere presence of histamine could pose a risk for individuals with histamine intolerance, they should be informed about potentially risky foods, including fermented soy products. On the other hand, as the probability of adverse health effects in healthy people depends not only on the level of biogenic amines in food but also on the amounts of food consumed, small portions of fermented soy products could be a good protective strategy. Thus, the findings of this study are of practical value for food producers, nutritionists, public health professionals, and consumers.
