Biogenic Amine Detection Systems for Intelligent Packaging Concepts: Meat and Meat Products

During meat and meat product spoilage metabolites are formed which can be detected by indicator systems to evaluate products' deterioration, suitable to provide the consumer information about the freshness of a meat or meat product. Due to strong correlation between microbial count and biogenic amine concentration, biogenic amines were identified as suitable target metabolites for meat and meat product freshness determination in intelligent packaging concepts. The objective of this review is to provide an overview of different indication systems to detect biogenic amine formation during spoilage of meat and meat products. Different classes of bioreceptors, chromophores and fluorophores are outlined and discussed regarding their feasibility as indicator substances with a potential use for intelligent packaging concepts. Overall, this review points out that there is great potential for some of the discussed indication systems and their combination to be used as spoilage indicators for meat and meat products, though further research is necessary to overcome commercial application limitations, including precision, reliability, and low-cost producibility of the indicators.