An enzyme sensor for the determination of total amines in dry-fermented sausages Original Research Article

An enzyme sensor employing diamine oxidase from porcine kidney in combination with an oxygen electrode has been developed and optimised to estimate the content of total amines in dry-fermented sausages. The enzyme DAO was immobilised on a preactivated Immunodyne membrane using glutaraldehyde as cross-linking agent. The enzymatic determination was based on the measurement of the consumed O2 in a platinum electrode poised at −600 mV versus Ag/AgCl. The reaction was started by the direct injection of either the standard or meat extract on the enzymatic membrane. The immobilised enzyme could be used up to 30 analyses along the day without significant loss of sensitivity and could be stored at 4 °C showing good stability for at least 6 weeks. A good correlation was observed when comparing data obtained with the enzyme sensor to those obtained with a standard HPLC method. Thus, this sensor may be a reliable screening method to detect the presence of biogenic amines in dry-fermented sausages that can constitute a useful tool for quality control in the meat industry.