Relationship between biogenic amine contents and the size of dry fermented sausages

Three trials were carried out to study the influence of the diameter on biogenic amine contents and related parameters (pH, humidity and proteolysis) in fermented sausages. The first trial was done on three groups of Spanish dry fermented sausages with different diameter. In the second, two sections (centre and edge) of salchichon sausages were examined. The last trial consisted in the study of the ripening of two batches of sausages fermented under the same conditions but with two different diameters. Biogenic amine contents varied among the different type of products as well as among the same type of samples. Generally, amine levels in the biggest diameter sausages were higher than in the thinnest sausages. Amine contents were higher in the central part of the sausages than in the edge. During the ripening, larger tyramine amounts were formed in sausages with the biggest diameter. Statistical correlations were found among the diameter, the pH, the proteolysis and some amines. The results of the three trials agree with the hypothesis that the diameter is a factor that may affect the formation of biogenic amines during sausage fermentation. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.