Trends of Major Foodborne Outbreaks in the European Union during the Years 2015–2019

The incidence of themost common foodborne outbreaks reported by the European Food Safety Authority and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control during the years 2015–2019 is described. Campylobacter spp., Salmonella spp., Listeria monocytogenes, and Yersinia enterocolitica are the investigated microorganisms, and symptomatology, food categories responsible for human disease, as well as some prevention measures are the most important information schedules supplied to the readers. Campylobacteriosis and salmonellosis are the most common zoonoses with a notification rate of 59.7 and 20.0 per 100,000 population, respectively, in the year 2019. Good hygienic practices both at farm and domestic level could prevent such infections. The highest number of deaths is reported for listeriosis, corresponding to 31 fatal events in the year 2019. Therefore, awareness of the hazards linked to L. monocytogenes is particularly recommended amongst high-risk groups. By contrast, most cases of yersiniosis are sporadic and the most important prophylactic measures include adequate sanitation in pork chain, personnel hygiene, and protection of water supplies

Update on Biogenic Amines in Fermented and Non-Fermented Beverages

The formation of biogenic amines in food and beverages is mainly due to the presence of proteins and/or free amino acids that represent the substrates for microbial or natural enzymes with decarboxylation or amination activity. Fermentation occurring in many alcoholic beverages, such as wine, beer, cider, liqueurs, as well as coffee and tea, is one of the main processes affecting their production. Some biogenic amines can also be naturally present in some fruit juices or fruit-based drinks. The dietary intake of such compounds should consider all their potential sources by both foods and drinks, taking in account the health impact on some consumers that represent categories at risk for a deficient metabolic activity or assuming inhibiting drugs. The most important tool to avoid their adverse effects is based on prevention through the selection of lactic acid bacteria with low decarboxylating activity or good manufacturing practices hurdling the favoring conditions on biogenic amines’ production

An overview of histamine and other biogenic amines in fish and fish products

The occurrence of biogenic amines in fish is directly associated with microorganisms with decarboxylase activity. These compounds are generally detoxified by oxidases in the intestinal tract of humans, but some conditions, such as alcohol consumption, enzyme deficiency, or monoamino-oxidase antidepressant use, can make their intake by food dangerous. Due to its toxicity, histamine is a unique biogenic amine with regulatory limits for fishery products. This review focuses on biogenic amines in fish, with a detailed picture of the number of alert notifications or intoxication events reported in the last years. The favoring conditions for their formation, as well as the main preventive and control measures to ensure public health, are also reviewed

Biogenic Amines in Raw and Processed Seafood

The presence of biogenic amines (BAs) in raw and processed seafood, associated with either time/temperature conditions or food technologies is discussed in the present paper from a safety and prevention point of view. In particular, storage temperature, handling practices, presence of microbial populations with decarboxylase activity and availability of free amino acids are considered the most important factors affecting the production of BAs in raw seafood. On the other hand, some food technological treatments such as salting, ripening, fermentation, or marination can increase the levels of BAs in processed seafood. The consumption of high amount of BAs, above all histamine, can result in food borne poisoning which is a worldwide problem. The European Regulation established as maximum limits for histamine, in fishery products from fish species associated with high histidine amounts, values ranging from 100 to 200 mg/kg, while for products which have undergone enzyme maturation treatment in brine, the aforementioned limits rise to 200 and 400 mg/kg. Preventive measures and emerging methods aiming at controlling the production of BAs are also reported for potential application in seafood industries

Biogenic Amines in Italian Pecorino Cheese

The quality of distinctive artisanal cheeses is closely associated with the territory of production and its traditions. Pedoclimatic characteristics, genetic autochthonous variations, and anthropic components create an environment so specific that it would be extremely difficult to reproduce elsewhere. Pecorino cheese is included in this sector of the market and is widely diffused in Italy (∼62.000t of production in 2010). Pecorino is a common name given to indicate Italian cheeses made exclusively from pure ewes’ milk characterized by a high content of fat matter and it is mainly produced in the middle and south of Italy by traditional procedures from raw or pasteurized milk. The microbiota plays a major role in the development of the organoleptic characteristics of the cheese but it can also be responsible for the accumulation of undesirable substances, such as biogenic amines (BA). Bacterial amino acid decarboxylase activity and BA content have to be investigated within the complex microbial community of raw milk cheese for different cheese technologies. The results emphasize the necessity of controlling the indigenous bacterial population responsible for high production of BA and the use of competitive adjunct cultures could be suggested. Several factors can contribute to the qualitative and quantitative profiles of BA’s in Pecorino cheese such as environmental hygienic conditions, pH, salt concentration, water activity, fat content, pasteurization of milk, decarboxylase microorganisms, starter cultures, temperature and time of ripening, storage, part of the cheese (core, edge), and the presence of cofactor (pyridoxal phosphate, availability of aminases and deaminases). In fact physico-chemical parameters seem to favor biogenic amine-positive microbiota; both of these environmental factors can easily be modulated, in order to control growth of undesirable microorganisms. Generally, the total content of BA’s in Pecorino cheeses can range from about 100–2400 mg/kg, with a prevalence of toxicologically important BA’s, tyramine and histamine. The presence of BA is becoming increasingly important to consumers and cheese-maker alike, due to the potential threats of toxicity to humans and consequent trade implications

Biogenic Amines in Meat and Meat Products: A Review of the Science and Future Perspectives

Biogenic amines (BAs) can be found in a wide range of meat and meat products, where they are important as an index for product stability and quality, but also for their impact on public health. This review analyzes the scientific evidence gathered so far on the presence and role of biogenic amines in meat and meat products, also considering the effect of technological conditions on BAs accumulation or decrease. The data provided can be useful for developing solutions to control BAs formation during the shelf-life, for example by novel starters for dry cured products, as well as by packaging technologies and materials for fresh meats. Further research, whose trends are reviewed in this paper, will fill the knowledge gaps, and allow us to protect such perishable products along the distribution chain and in the home environment