A chemometric investigation of the effect of the cheese-making process on contents of biogenic amines in a semi-hard Italian cheese (Toma)

A full 2(3) experimental design was applied to identify conditions of cheesemaking which will minimise the contents of four biogenic amines (putrescine, cadaverine, histamine and tyramine) in cheese. The variables of the study were represented by: (1) pasteurisation of milk, (2) type of bacterial strain and (3) curd temperature. Each experiment was a process of cheesemaking. To evaluate the pure experimental error, each experiment was repeated three times for a total of 24 cheeses. Samples of each cheese, after 30 days of ripening, were analysed for amine contents by HPLC. The conditions for minimising the formation of biogenic amines were different for each amine, confirming that different bacteria and metabolic pathways were involved. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.