Biogenic Amines in Fresh and Canned Tuna. Effects of Canning on Biogenic Amine Contents

The concentrations of 10 biogenic amines were determined in fresh tuna ( n = 20) and canned tuna ( n = 38) purchased in Spain and also in samples taken at 5 stages of 12 canning processes ( n = 60). Spermine and spermidine were the only amines found in all samples but were lower in canned than in fresh tuna samples ( p < 0.05). The Food and Drug Administration legal limit for histamine (50 μg/g) was not exceeded in any samples, and the levels of the other biogenic amines commonly related with fish spoilage were, in general, low in all samples studied; no significant difference was found between fresh and canned tuna. Results showed that both the inosine monophosphate ratio and certain biogenic amines could be useful as quality indicators for the raw fish used in canned tuna, since no change was observed throughout the canning process, except for spermine and spermidine. Decreases in both spermine and spermidine were significant only after the sterilization step, which is in agreement with the significant differences observed between fresh and canned tuna from the market.