Monitoring and risk assessment of biogenic amines in seafood commonly consumed in Korea

Seafood is widely consumed for its nutritional benefits. However, its perishability promotes the formation of biogenic amines (BAs), posing a risk of food poisoning. This study quantified concentrations of 8 BAs in 22 seafood species (including fish and shrimp) from Korea and evaluated the effects of various cooking methods. Results indicated that BA profiles varied by habitat, with elevated histamine in Mugil cephalus (239.66 mg/kg) and 2‑phenylethylamine in Oncorhynchus keta (90.53 mg/kg) and Pleuronectidae (59.42 mg/kg). While estimated daily intake analysis indicated that raw Mu. cephalus (0.273 mg/kg bw/day for histamine), O. keta (0.075 mg/kg bw/day for 2-phenylethylamine), and Pleuronectidae (0.033 mg/kg bw/day for 2-phenylethylamine) may pose health risks to Korean consumers, these risks are mitigated at the consumption stage as cooking reduces BA levels by over 45%. These findings suggest that although raw seafood may contain elevated levels of BAs, cooking is an effective strategy for enhancing seafood safety.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10068-026-02218-5.