Monitoring and risk assessment of biogenic amines in fermented fish products in Korea

Aekjeot and jeotgal are traditional Korean fermented fish products that are widely consumed in Korea. However, it is worth noting that these products contain high levels of biogenic amines (BAs), particularly histamine (HIS) and tyramine (TYR), which can cause food poisoning. This study aimed to monitor the levels of BAs in the three most consumed fermented fish products in Korea: Myeolchi Aekjeot (MA), Kkanari Aekjeot (KA) and Myeolchi Jeot (MJ), and to assess the potential risks of BAs intake. In addition, the effect of representative cooking methods (stir-frying and boiling) on BAs were analyzed. High-performance liquid chromatography analysis revealed that the highest concentrations in samples were 1741.99 and 664.14 mg/kg for HIS and TYR, respectively. The risk assessment indicated that the estimated daily intake values for HIS (maximum: 0.11 mg/kg BW/day) and TYR (maximum: 0.04 mg/kg BW/day) are at low levels. The hazard quotient and hazard index values also remained below the acceptable limit of 1. During the cooking process, BAs levels in the stir-fried samples were significantly reduced. Based on these findings, the consumption of MA, KA, and MJ is safe in terms of the risk of BAs, both directly and after cooking.