Monitoring Of Biogenic Amines In Kumru: A Traditional Fermented Cereal Food

Kumru is a traditional fermented cereal food made with flour and chickpea yeast. Ten samples of kumru supplied from different manufacturers in Turkey were analysed for the first time to determine biogenic amine contents using HPLC with benzoyl derivatization. Of the 10 amines under study, putrescine, cadaverine, spermidine, spermine, and histamine were detected in all samples. Spermine was the prevailing biogenic amine. Spermine concentrations of kumru samples changed from 2.4 to 17.9 mg/kg of kumru. Total amine contents of kumru samples were between 23.9 and 42.2 mg/kg of kumru. Concentrations of biogenic amines were far below the allowable limits. The pH values of kumru samples were in the range from 5.28 to 6.40; acidities were in the range from 0.12 to 0.28 g/100 g kumru (as lactic acid); total dry matters were from 63.36 to 69.71 g/100 g kumru; and total free amino acid contents were from 0.101 to 0.251 g/100 g kumru (as leucine). Significant correlations were detected between biogenic amine concentrations and pHs, acidities, and total free amino acid contents. No significant correlations were detected between biogenic amine concentrations and total dry matter contents of kumru samples.