The aim of this paper is to give an overview of the presence of biogenic amines, particularly histamine, in various food products, discuss the most important factors influencing their accumulation, and address potential toxicity and safe limits in food. Biogenic amines are natural components of animal and plant raw materials, where they are present at concentrations appearing non-harmful to human health. Their increased content in foods results from the activity of endogenous enzymes or from the microbial decarboxylation of amino acids during controlled or spontaneous fermentation, processing, storage, and distribution. General knowledge of biogenic amines, factors favouring their formation and their safe limits in food are useful in preventing exposure to their toxic effects on the human body. Based on this information, appropriate prophylaxis can be applied, which will consist primarily of maintenance of good hygiene standards of raw materials and products, employment of appropriate processing procedures and upkeep of sanitary food storage conditions.

The aim of this paper is to give an overview of the presence of biogenic amines, particularly histamine, in various food products, discuss the most important factors influencing their accumulation, and address potential toxicity and safe limits in food. Biogenic amines are natural components of animal and plant raw materials, where they are present at concentrations appearing non-harmful to human health. Their increased content in foods results from the activity of endogenous enzymes or from the microbial decarboxylation of amino acids during controlled or spontaneous fermentation, processing, storage, and distribution. General knowledge of biogenic amines, factors favouring their formation and their safe limits in food are useful in preventing exposure to their toxic effects on the human body. Based on this information, appropriate prophylaxis can be applied, which will consist primarily of maintenance of good hygiene standards of raw materials and products, employment of appropriate processing procedures and upkeep of sanitary food storage conditions.

Biogenic amines (BAs) are formed as a result of specific free amino acid decarboxylation. Analysis of these metabolites may be of great importance to determine food quality and for monitoring the levels of biogenic amines such as histamine and tyramine related to intoxication episodes in humans. Chromatography is a chemistry separation technique used to characterize biogenic amines in foods. Variations of this technique (liquid, thin layer and gas chromatography) have been widely applied; however, the food matrix complex requires that changes in the methodology of extraction, derivatization and detection must be performed according to each group of foods. High-performance liquid chromatography is the most widely used chromatographic method applied for biogenic amines in foods. However, due to the current importance of biogenic amines in quality control and consumer safety, researchers try to develop new methods for a fast, reliable analysis of foods in the market. This review presents some chromatographic techniques applied to monitoring BAs in different foods of animal origin.

In animal feeding technology much attention is given to application of biologically active substances for metabolism stimulation. One of such biologically active substances is carnitine, an anabolic preparation of nonhormonal nature, cofactor in system of oxidation of fat acids. It participates in processes of acetylation at oxidation of fat acids together with acyl-CoA and other enzymes, promotes carrying over of cytoplasmatic Coa-derivatives of fat acids inside mitochondrions. It increases absorption speed from a digestive path of nutrients of forage, raises use of fat acids for the power purposes. Under its influence synthesis of triglycerides decreases and synthesis of phospho-lipids increases. Carnitine also protects cells against toxic accumulation of components of acyl-CoA of endogenic or exogenous origins, such as acylic groups of carnitine ethers which then can pass into liver for dissimilation or in kidneys for allocation in urine. Carnitine synthesis satisfies body requirements, but in the conditions of a hightened stress, high productivity, as well as in the conditions of lowered carnitine content in forage or in the conditions of the increased content of fats it should be applied as additive to diet. As a result of the realized study it was established, that the optimal quantity of carnitine application in diets for stores husbandry and fattening is dose of 50 g/t of mixed fodders. Application of carnitine in an optimum dose renders the positive impact on animal organism, promotes the increasing average daily weight gain on 5,1% (Р less than 0,001). Application of carnitine in diets of swine stores increases a slaughter yield on 2,1%, meat content per carcass - on 2,3%, a loin eye area - on 8,8%. Carnitine application in a dose 50 g/t of mixed fodders makes it possible to receive the additional profit at a rate of 4,57 USD per 1 head