Introductory Chapter: Current Knowledge on Biogenic Amines

Abstract

Human health can be affected by minor food compounds which sometimes are neglected by consumers. Biogenic amines are naturally occurred amines and for sure they can be one group belonging to the aforementioned compounds. Their concentrations are positively affected by microbial fermentation of food or during food spoilage. Many analytical methods are published regarding extraction and characterization of these minor food substances. Biogenic amines (BAs) are nitrogen-contained compounds occurring by decarboxylation of amino acids or by amination and ransamination of ketones and aldehydes. The structure of BAs can be aliphatic, aromatic, and heterocyclic. Depending on the number of amine groups, amines are classified into monoamines (tyramine and phenylethylamine), diamines (histamine, putrescine, and cadaverine), or polyamines (spermidine and spermine). Currently, there are research papers that have classified cadaverine, putrescine, spermine, and spermidine among polyamines