The Measurement of Hazardous Biogenic Amines in Non-Alcoholic Beers: Efficient and Applicable Miniaturized Electro-Membrane Extraction Joined to Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry

The determination of biogenic amines (BAs) as serious food contaminants and chemical indicators of unwanted microbial contamination or deficient processing conditions in non-alcoholic beers is of great interest for the beverage industries. In the present investigation, the combination of hollow fiber-electro-membrane extraction (HF-EME) and dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (DLLME) followed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS) was applied for the analysis of histamine, putrescine, tyramine, cadaverine in non-alcoholic beers. EME is fundamentally based on the electrostatic attraction, diffusion and solvability of analytes in a selected acceptor phase. This membrane-based extraction technique promoted selectivity and the enrichment factor. The DLLME process reduced the volumes of organic solvents and make the coupling of HF-EME to the CG/MS conceivable. The leading variables, which have a great effect on extraction recovery, were optimized. The relative standard deviation was achieved between 4.9 and 7.0%. The recoveries were between 94% and 98%. The limit of detection and limit of quantification were found to be 0.92-0.98 ng mL(-1) and 3.03-3.23 ng mL(-1), respectively. The enrichment factor was calculated in the range 36-41. The achievements revealed that putrescine and tyramine, with concentrations of 3.87 and 2.33 mu g g(-1), were at the highest concentration in non-alcoholic beers. This offered method with great benefits could help beverage industries to monitor the concentration of BAs in beers and control them.

Automated summary

In this study, a combination of HF-EME and DLLME followed by GC/MS was applied to analyze the biogenic amines in non-alcoholic beers. The method showed advantages in improving selectivity and enrichment factor, which could help beverage industries to monitor and control the concentration of biogenic amines in beers.