Research advances on biogenic amines in traditional fermented foods: Emphasis on formation mechanism, detection and control methods

Biogenic amines (BAs) are a class of low molecular weight basic nitrogen-containing compounds with physiological activities, which are mainly generated by decarboxylation of amino acid decarboxylase. A small amount of BAs can be degraded by amine oxidase in human, but excessive BAs can cause human discomfort, poisoning and even death. Traditional fermented foods are rich in biogenic amine precursors (amino acids) and amino acid decarboxylase-producing microorganisms, confronting the risk of excessive BAs content. Thus, the problem of BAs in traditional fermented foods has attracted special attention from related researchers, consumers and producers. This review aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the formation mechanisms, the latest detection and control methods of BAs in traditional fermented foods, which might shed a new light on controlling and solving the problem of BAs in traditional fermented foods.