Biogenic amines – Precursors of carcinogens in traditional Chinese fermented food

Fermented food products, particularly traditional Chinese fermented food, such as douchi (fermented black bean), doujiang (soybean paste), Jinhua ham (dried-cured ham) and yulu (fermented fish sauce), have been reported to have high levels of biogenic amines. Biogenic amines are precursors of carcinogenic N-nitroso compounds. These molecules can be formed by the microbiological degradation of high-protein food during the fermentation process. Because of the adverse health impact of these substances, such as derivation into carcinogens, there is a growing interest among researchers to determine the content of biogenic amines in foods. This article aims to review the health impact of biogenic amines, the mechanisms of the formation of biogenic amines, the biogenic amine levels in certain traditional Chinese fermented food and the analytical methods used to determine the contents of biogenic amines in food. Given the harmful effects of fermented food and the capacity of analytical methods, further research is warranted for the development of novel food technology for producing traditional Chinese fermented food with reduced levels of biogenic amines.