High-performance liquid chromatographic method for determination of biogenic amines in feedstuffs, complete feeds, and animal tissues

Numerous methods to analyze biogenic amines in biological materials have been described. A versatile and rapid methodology to analyze these compounds in feedstuffs, complete feeds, and animal tissues, however, has not been reported. The current method was developed to address this need. Biogenic amines in feedstuffs, complete animal feeds, and animal tissues were extracted with 10% trichloroacetic acid, reacted with O-phthaladehyde using high-performance liquid chromatographic employing a cation exchange column. Detection limits were 50 pmol/mL for tyramine, histamine, putrescine, and spermine; 40 pmol/mL for cadaverine; and 25 pmol/mL for spermidine. Extraction efficiency of biogenic amines in feedstuffs, duodenum, liver, ileum + jejunum, and whole shrimp and shrimp hepatopancreas ranged between 99-105, 93-135, 80-85, 65-102, 88-98, and 88-97%, respectively. It can be concluded that the current method can be applied to individual feedstuffs, complete feeds, and animal tissues for the rapid and accurate determination of concentration of biogenic amines.