Biogenic amines in beer

This thesis deals with the technological process of brewing beer, describes the raw materials needed for its production, and points out the useful and harmful substances contained in beer as biogenic amines (BA). Furthermore, there are described the issues of biogenic amines in food and primarily in beer, which is a histamine, putrescine, cadaverine, tyramine and tryptamine. In the practical section BA was determined in lager bottom-fermented beers from local microbreweries and large industrial breweries. Beer is according to legislation considered as a safe food containing a variety of healthful nutrients such as B vitamins, proteins, carbohydrates, minerals, soluble fiber and polyphenolic merged, which have anticarcinogenic, antioxidant and antimicrobial effects. On the other hand, in beer we can find harmful substances such as alcohol, heavy metals, N-nitrosamines, aromatic hydrocarbons, polychlorinated biphenyls, nitrates and biogenic amines. In the second part of the research are summarized the issues of BA in certain foods and beverages, their chemical structure, the way how they are created and their negative effects on the human body. BA are natural, biologically active substances that are essential for the human organism. Their excessive amount in beer is toxic for the human organism. Ethanol contained in the beer decreases the activity of the enzyme monoamine oxidase, and this leads to reduced degradation of BA. Intoxication of BA can cause headaches, vomiting, hypertension, allergic reactions, rashes and even loss of consciousness, therefore, should be the content of these substances monitored. In the practical part of this theses the samples of bottom-fermented beers were analyzed. The first group of samples included unfiltred and unpsaterized beers from microbreweries. In the second group there were filtered and pasteurized beers from large breweries. HPLC determined BA in beer (histamine, putrescine, cadaverine, tyramine and tryptamine). The resulting values indicate that the domestic beers contain biogenic amines in very small concentrations, thus satisfy the legislative standarts. The results were also compared between the two groups of samples. These samples showed that the beer from microbreweries is not contaminated as originally was expected. It shows good technological processes in the manufacture of beer in such small devices