Mohamed A. Rabie

Biogenic Amine Contents in Selected Egyptian Fermented Foods as Determined by Ion-Exchange Chromatography

Biogenic amines in foods may pose a public health problem. Therefore, histamine, tyramine, putrescine, cadaverine, spermine, and spermidine concentrations were measured in selected food items commonly consumed in Egypt. Foods examined were dairy products (blue cheese and Mesh cheese), meats (fermented and smoked cooked sausage), and fish (smoked and salted fermented fish [Feseekh], salted sardines, and anchovies). Egyptian fermented sausage had the highest concentration of total biogenic amines (2,482 mg/kg), followed by Mesh cheese (2,118 mg/kg) and blue cheese (2,084 mg/kg). The lowest concentration was found in smoked cooked sausage (111 mg/kg). Histamine was found at a high level (521 mg/kg) in Feseekh, and tyramine was highest (2,010 mg/kg) in blue cheese. These results indicate that some traditional Egyptian foods may pose a health risk due to the concentration of biogenic amines, especially histamine.

Evolution of amino acids and biogenic amines throughout storage in sausages made of horse, beef and turkey meats.

The changes in concentration of free amino acids and biogenic amines, along 28 d of storage at 4°C, were monitored in a wide range of European ripened sausages manufactured from horse, beef and turkey meats. Generally speaking, both chemical families became more concentrated with elapsing time--but rather distinct patterns were followed in each meat type: total free amino acids increased by 13-fold in the case of horse sausages, and 5-fold in the case of beef sausages, but decreased to one third in the case of turkey sausages; and total biogenic amines attained 730 mg/kg in turkey sausages, 500 mg/kg in beef sausages and 130 mg/kg in horse sausages by 28 d of refrigerated storage. For putrescine, maximum levels of 285 mg/kg were attained in turkey and 278 mg/kg in beef sausages; for cadaverine, maximum levels of 6 mg/kg in turkey and 9 mg/kg in beef; and for histamine, maximum levels of 263 mg/kg in turkey and 26 mg/kg in beef. Hence, public safety concerns may be raised in the case of turkey sausages.

Optimizing the Addition of Functional Plant Extracts and Baking Conditions To Develop Acrylamide-Free Pita Bread

The effects of using freeze-dried extracts (FDEs) of spearmint ( Mentha spicata), fennel ( Foeniculum vulgare), and turmeric ( Curcuma longa) as well as adjusting the baking temperature and time on acrylamide formation in pita bread were investigated to obtain the most acceptable conditions that produced the lowest acrylamide concentrations. A Box-Behnken design was adopted for optimization of the pita bread formulations by adding FDEs (3 to 25 g/100 g of wheat flour) and adjusting the baking temperature (200 to 300°C) and baking time (3 to 11 min), and the effects of these changes on color parameters, phytochemical attributes, and acrylamide concentrations were evaluated. Increasing the concentration of FDE and decreasing the baking temperature and time considerably decreased the acrylamide concentration in bread for all experimental trials. No acrylamide was detected in pita bread formulated with 25 g of mint FDE/100 g of wheat flour and baked at 250°C for 3 min, formulated with 25 g of mint or fennel FDE/100 g and baked at 300°C for 7 min, formulated with 3 g of mint, fennel, or turmeric FDE/100 g and baked at 200°C for 7 min, formulated with 14 g of mint FDE/100 g and baked at 300°C for 3 min, and formulated with 25 g of mint or fennel FDE/100 g and baked at 200°C for 7 min. Pita breads formulated with fennel and turmeric FDE were given high sensory scores.