SEPARATION, IDENTIFICATION AND ESTIMATION OF BIOGENIC-AMINES IN FOODS BY THIN-LAYER CHROMATOGRAPHY

A method for the separation, identification and estimation of eight biogenic amines (histamine, cadaverine, putrescine, phenylethylamine, tyramine, tryptamine, spermidine and spermine) using silica gel TLC and spectrophotofluorometry is described. The complete resolution of the dansylated derivatives of amines could not be achieved by one-dimensional TLC using any of 12 solvent systems examined. However, the derivatives could be well separated by two-dimensional TLC in which the first development system was benzene/triethylamine/acetone (10: 1 :2, v/v/v), while in the second direction the development system was benzene: triethylamine (5: 1 v/v). The R(f) values and the fluorescent colours of the amine dansyl derivatives aided their identification. The separated fluorescent derivatives were extracted with acetonitrile and estimated spectrophotofluorometrically. The results obtained indicated that the method is sensitive and precise, where the relative standard deviation was less than 10%. The method was applied to 10 dry sausage samples and 10 fish samples. Dry sausage contained the eight biogenic amines with an average concentration similar to that which had been previously reported for sausage or meat products. Fish samples were free from tyramine, tryptamine and phenylethylamine. The other amines were found to be variable in their concentrations.