Residual nitrite and biogenic amines of traditional northeast sauerkraut in China

The safety of northeast sauerkraut (NS) has always been a concern in China. In the present study, the nitrite and biogenic amine (BA) contents in 378 NS, collected or purchased from Chinese families and markets (including morning markets and local supermarkets), were measured. The results showed that the nitrite and BA contents of samples from Chinese families and some morning markets were higher than those from local supermarkets. The highest level of nitrites was 38.5 +/- 5.2 mg/kg in unpackaged NS from Chinese families, and the lowest was 17.2 +/- 2.1 mg/kg in packaged NS from local supermarkets. The highest levels of tyramine and tryptamine were 203 +/- 3 and 28.1 +/- 4 mg/kg in unpackaged NS from Chinese families, respectively. The highest levels of histamine, putrescine, and cadaverine were mainly found in Chinese families and morning markets, and the lowest level of BAs was from local supermarkets. The results suggest that improving the safety of NS by controlling environmental sanitation and strengthening standardised production is a top priority at present in China.