Biogenic amine content in dry fermented sausages as influenced by a producer, spice mix, starter culture, sausage diameter and time of ripening.

Sixteen types of dry fermented sausages were commercially produced as combinations of two producers (designated K and R), two starter cultures (Pediococcus pentosaceus, C; Lactobacillus curvatus+Staphylococcus carnosus, F), two spicing mixtures (H; P) and two casing diameters (4.5cm, T; 7cm, W), and were sampled at days zero, 14, 28 (end of ripening), 49, 70, 91 and 112 (samples were stored at 15°C and relative humidity of 70% between days 28 and 112). Tyramine and putrescine content (Y, mgkg(-1)) increased (P<0.01) with increasing time of ripening/storage (X, days): Y=52.0+5.19X-0.0275X(2) (R(2)=0.60) and Y=37.0+3.45X-0.0192X(2) (R(2)=0.23), respectively. Smaller diameter (T), spice mix containing red pepper (P) and starter culture C decreased (P<0.05) both tyramine and putrescine content in the sausages as compared to the W, H and F counterparts, respectively; content of both amines was lower (P<0.05) in the K-sausages than in the R-sausages. Tyramine content in the sausages at the time interval 28days of ripening+21days of storage was in the range from 170 (KHCU sausage combination) to 382 (RHFS) mgkg(-1).