[Content and Origin of Nonvolatile Amines in Various Commercial Pickles].

The content of nonvolatile amines (putrescine, cadaverine, histamine, tyramine, and spermidine) in commercial pickles and their raw materials was determined in order to investigate the origin of these amines and to evaluate possible health risks. The nonvolatile amine content varied depending on the type of pickle; histamine and tyramine contents were relatively high, namely, 6.0-264 and 2.0-369 mu g/g, respectively, especially in soybean paste pickles and moromi pickles. Amines derived from raw materials were detected in soy sauce pickles, soybean paste pickles, and moromi pickles. However, the raw materials/vegetables of rice bran pickles, sake lees pickles, and malt pickles did not contain these amines, and so the amines in these pickles might have been produced by microorganisms during the fermentation process. Judging from the measured amine content of pickles, the potential health risk is estimated to be low.