Abstract

Cheeses are among those high-protein-containing foodstuffs in which enzymatic and microbial activities cause the formation of biogenic amines (BAs) from amino acids decarboxylation. Most of the methods for amine determination in these products involve acid extraction followed by a liquid-liquid purification step to selectively separate amines and amino acids. This study aimed to describe the development of biogenic amines in Egyptian cheeses during ripening and storage regimes. Biogenic amines content in Mish, Ras and Blue cheeses were 270-1300, 340-980 and 210-700 mg/kg, respectively. The dominant biogenic amines were different. This work confirms that the main biological feature influencing amines formation is the extent of growth of microorganisms, like Enterococci, characterized by decarboxylase activity. It is important to note that the presence of biogenic amines due to the activities of these microorganisms is maintained within safe levels. In Egypt, reports dealing with the Egyptian cheeses (Mish, Ras and Blue) are scanty. So, the present work was carried out to fill the gap in our knowledge on its microbiological and biochemical features, focusing on hygiene and consumer health aspects.

Key words: Biogenic amines, food safety, proteolysis, ripening, Enterococci spp.