Effects of various pre-treatment and cooking on the levels of biogenic amines in Korean and Norwegian mackerel

This study analyses the biogenic amines (BAs) formed in mackerel cooked by various methods and conditions. Five BAs, including tryptamine, β-phenylethylamine, putrescine, hista-mine, and spermidine, were analysed by high-performance liquid chromatography with UV detec-tion. The level of total BAs was higher in the mackerel fillet (108.14 μg/g) than the headed and gutted fish (91.58 μg/g). Roasted, fried, and stewed mackerel recorded total BA concentrations of 54.28, 82.25, and 163.05 μg/g, respectively. Stewed mackerel contained about 3-fold more BAs than roasted mackerel. The level of total BAs in mackerel increased significantly up to 190%, 236% and 152% as the roasting temperature increased, upon frying, and as stewing temperature increased, respectively (p < 0.05).