Are you also one of those people who suffer from diarrhea, flatulence, headaches or even shortness of breath after drinking wine, cheese or fish? Triggers of these complaints can be so-called biogenic amines. Biogenic amines are metabolic products that occur naturally in human, plant and animal cells. The most important representative of biogenic amines is histamine.
Biogenic amines
In addition to histamine, the group of biogenic amines includes:
- Tyramine
- Phenylethylamine
- Serotonin
- Putrescine
- Spermidine
Histamine as a mediator substance of the immune system.
On the one hand, biogenic amines are produced in our body and perform important functions. The most important representative is histamine, which has a particular importance as a mediator (middle substance) of the immune system. It also plays an important role in the gastrointestinal tract, for example in the regulation of gastric acid production, and in the central nervous system, for example in the regulation of the sleep-wake rhythm. Histamine is produced by the body and stored in mast cells. Mast cells are cells of the body’s immune system. Under certain conditions, histamine is released from the mast cells, for example in the case of inflammation. As a result, depending on the severity of the reaction, redness of the skin, runny nose, itching, nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps, headache, migraine, increase in heart rate, lowering of blood pressure and circulatory problems up to collapse may occur.
Allergy or intolerance?
Although the symptoms are very similar, the reaction of the immune system to the biogenic amines is nevertheless not comparable to an allergic reaction and therefore belongs to the food intolerances or pseudoallergies. This refers to a non-allergic hypersensitivity (intolerance reaction) to food or food ingredients.
Biogenic amines are on the menu every day
On the other hand, biogenic amines can also be supplied externally through food. They are natural ingredients of foods that we consume every day. These include:
- Meat
- Fish
- Milk, cheese
- Wine
- Various vegetables.
However, the content in unprocessed animal and plant foods is usually very low. Only through certain methods of food processing comes to increase the content of biogenic amines.
Concomitants in food ripening
Biogenic amines are formed from the smallest building blocks of proteins, amino acids (for example, histidine). Microorganisms (bacteria) are usually involved in this process. High concentrations of biogenic amines are accordingly found in foods produced by ripening or fermentation using microorganisms. These include, for example, certain types of cheese, raw sausage, red wine and sauerkraut. In addition, the following foods also contain biogenic amines: Chocolate, bananas, pineapple, avocado, tomatoes, eggplant, walnuts, fish and shellfish. A listing of various foods high in biogenic amines can be found here:
| Biogenic amine | Occurrence in food |
| Histamine |
Yeast extract, soy sauce, tomato ketchup, dried yeast. Fish and fish products Sauerkraut, spinach, pickled vegetables, eggplant, porcini mushroom, morels beer, wine Cheese (especially mature cheese) Meat products (salami, mettwurst, teewurst, smoked ham, etc.) |
| Phenylethylamine | Chocolate, various cheeses (especially Gouda and Stilton), red wine |
| Serotonin | Walnuts, bananas, pineapple, tomatoes, avocado, prunes, squid |
| Tyramine |
Aged cheese, salami, plockwurst, liver, pickled herring, canned fish. Oranges, raspberries, pineapple, peanuts, yeast, curry powder, soy sauce. Wine, cola drinks, bean coffee, chocolate |
| Tryptamine | Tomatoes, plums |
Modified after: Wolter F, Bischoff SC (2003): food intolerance and food allergy. In: Stein J, Jauch K-W (eds.) Praxishandbuch klinische Ernährung und Infusionstherapie. Springer-Verlag Heidelberg, pp. 797-809.