Preliminary evaluation of biogenic amines content in Chilean young varietal wines by HPLC Angela Pineda a, 1 , Jonathan Carrasco a , Carlos Peña-Farfal b , Karem Henríquez-Aedo a , Mario Aranda a, * a Laboratory of Advanced Research on Foods and Drugs, Department of Food Science and Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Concepcion, Barrio Universitario s/n, Concepcion, Chile b Department of Instrumental Analysis, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Concepcion, Chile article info Article history: Received 13 November 2009 Received in revised form 15 July 2011 Accepted 23 July 2011 Keywords: Biogenic amines Wine Optimization Chromatography Chile abstract Biogenic amines are organic nitrogenous compounds produced in wines mainly during malolactic fermentation. Its presence is a health risk for sensitive individuals and it could negatively affect the wine quality. The objective of this work was to determine the biogenic amines content in Chilean young varietal wines. For that, a liquid chromatographic method with pre-column derivatization was optimized and validated to achieve a reliable quantification of the most important biogenic amines in wines, i.e. histamine, tyramine, spermine, spermidine, putrescine, cadaverine and phenylethylamine. Using a face- centered central composite design derivatization and chromatographic conditions were optimized. Derivatization with dansyl chloride showed an optimum yield for all biogenic amines at 60  C during 60 min. These derivatives were optimally separated with a C 18 YMC-Pack ODS-A column set a 40  C using a mobile phase composed of acetonitrile and water under gradient conditions. An effective separation and quantification of the biogenic amines was achieved in 40 min using ultraviolet detection at 254 nm. Validation was established according to ICH guidelines, calibrations in matrix fitted a linear regression model with R 2 > 0.997. Repeatability (n ¼ 6) and intermediate precision (n ¼ 3) in matrix showed RSD values <2.34% and <3.16%, respectively. This method was applied to determine for the first time the biogenic amines content in Chilean wines. Twenty-seven samples of young varietal wines, i.e. Cabernet Sauvignon (n ¼ 9), Merlot (n ¼ 8) and Carménère (n ¼ 10) were analyzed finding a biogenic amines content from 18.12 to 39.84 mg L -1 , where putrescine showed the highest concentration in all grape varieties. No significant difference was found between grapes varieties regarding total biogenic amines content (P ¼ 0.7842, df ¼ 26). Along with putrescine, histamine and tyramine were the most abundant biogenic amines but similar levels were also observed with spermidine. Ó 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 1. Introduction Biogenic amines are well known organic nitrogenous compounds with low molecular weight; they are naturally synthesized in animals, plants and microorganism. According to their structures can be classified in aliphatic (putrescine, cadaverine, spermidine, sper- mine), aromatic amines (histamine, tyramine) and heterocyclic (tryptamine) amines (Fig. 1). Biogenic amines are generally formed by bacterial decarboxylation of free amino acids. The presence of biogenic amines in foods and feeds, especially histamine, is a typical indicator of spoilage and their limits are well established in several regulations for different kind of foods and feeds. In the case of wines this kind of amines are mainly formed along the vinification stages, either during alcoholic (Caruso, Fiore, Contursi, Salzano, Paparella & Romano, 2002) and/or malolactic fermentations, however during the later stage is produced the highest amount of biogenic amines. These amines are a health risk for sensitive individuals, symptoms include: nausea, respiratory discomfort, hot flushes, cold sweat, palpitations, headaches, and an increase or decrease of blood pres- sure (Anli & Bayram, 2009). Additionally, wines as matrix increases these adverse effects due to the concomitant intake of ethanol, which reduces/inhibits the activities of monoamine oxidase and diamine oxidase, enzymes responsible of metabolizing different kind of amines (e.g. biogenic amines) in the liver and intestine, respec- tively. Others compounds as trimethylamine, acetaldehyde and other biogenic amines such as putrescine, cadaverine, spermine and spermidine could increase the histamine toxicity (Ancin-Azpilicueta, Gonzalez-Marco & Jimenez-Moreno, 2008). There are only a few * Corresponding author. Tel.: þ56 41 2661040; fax: þ56 41 2210568. E-mail addresses: maranda@udec.cl, maranda@gmx.net (M. Aranda). 1 Permanent address: Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine and Bioscience, San Sebastian University, Chile. Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Food Control journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/foodcont 0956-7135/$ e see front matter Ó 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.foodcont.2011.07.025 Food Control 23 (2012) 251e257