Determination of biogenic amines in Chub Mackerel from different storage methods

The eight biogenic amines (BA), which are histamine (HIS), tryptamine, putrescine, 2-phenylethylamine, cadaverine, tyramine, spermidine, and spermine, were determined in Chub Mackerel under different storage conditions after being freshly caught. The storage time and temperature were varied and the guts either present or removed. This study describes a reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with a fluorescence detector following precolumn derivation with dansyl chloride method for the determination of BA in in Chub Mackerel samples. HIS represented the highest content of BA regardless of the storage temperature and time. During a 24-hr period, the content of HIS reached its highest level of 6,466.63 mg/kg at the storage temperature of 30 °C, whereas it only reached 28.73 mg/kg in 24 hr when the storage temperature was 0 °C, which is way below the standard acceptable threshold level (400 mg/kg). The storage times for the content of HIS to exceed the standard threshold level for HIS at different storage temperatures of 0, 4, 10, 15, 20, and 25 °C were 12, 5, 4 days, 48, 36, 15, and 14 hr, respectively. However, these times were significantly shortened when the viscera was removed from freshly-caught fish before storage. This study not only provides data for monitoring the content of BA, especially HIS, to ensure the safe storage and consumption of freshly-caught Chub Mackerel, but also presents a cost-effective method to extend the storage time of freshly-caught Chub Mackerel. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: This study not only provides data for monitoring the content of BA, especially HIS, to ensure the safe storage and consumption of freshly-caught Chub Mackerel, but also presents a cost-effective method, which is gut-removal during storage, to extend the storage time of freshly-caught Chub Mackerel.