Ten biogenic amines (ethanolamine, methylamine, tryptamine, 2-phenylethylamine, putrescine, cadaverine, histamine, tyramine, spermidine and spermine) were tested in red and white wines. The levels of amines change during the process of aging wine.

Biogenic amines occur in protein-rich foods such as fish and meat, fermented foods like cheese and salami, beverages such as wine and beer as the result of fermentation. In foods which are unfermented, biogenic amines are the result of undesired bacterial activity.

Amines, especially histamine, can cause headaches, nausea, vomiting, hypotension, hypertension, and cardiac palpitations. There are reports of a connection between elevated polyamine levels and cancer. Amine levels are an indication of the quality of food preservation and may be harmful to human health, especially for people who take monoamine oxidase inhibitors.

The highest levels of amines were found for ethanolamine, putrescine, histamine, tyramine and spermidine. Tryptamine was not found and tyramine was much higher in red than in white wines.

CONCLUSION: The authors have worked out a laboratory method for determining the quantity of biogenic amines in red and white wines, and will further study in order to improve the accuracy of the tests. The biogenic amines are important because of health related issues.

NOTE: Soybeans, tea leaves and mushrooms are rich in spermidine and oranges contain large amounts of putrescine. Among fermented foods, soy sauces contain putrescine and histamine, and Japanese sake contains agmatine. These polyamines are believed to be produced from amino acids during the process of fermentation by micro-organisms. (Article by Okamoto, A., et al. PMID: 9339564.) Read about green tea and biogenic amines.

Biogenic refers to having origin in a biologic process. Norepinephrine, dopamine, serotonin and acetylcholine are biogenic amines.

PMID: 17353021.

Summary #170.