Biogenic amines in chicken meat products in relation to bacterial load, pH value and sodium chloride content

Exogenous biogenic amines may present food poisoning hazards, especially when coupled with additional risk factors. In recent years, consumption of poultry meat and poultry meat products has increased. Therefore, the goals of this work were to estimate biogenic amines in chicken meat products and to find a correlation to bacterial quality, pH value and/or NaCl content. A total number of 60 random samples of chicken frankfurter, luncheon and keshta were collected from Cairo and Assiut supermarkets and groceries. The samples were analyzed for estimation of histamine, tyramine, cadaverine and puerscine. The results were in low levels and varied in each product. The bacterial quality was evaluated with respect to total colony, Enterobacteriaceae, coliforms, Lactobacillaceae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa counts. These amineproducering bacteria were detected in low amounts. Such findings as well as pH value and NaCl content correlated with amines levels.