Multiomics approach to reveal the metabolic framework for biogenic amines production in traditional fermented foods

Biogenic amines (BAs) are involved in several pathogenic syndromes, representing a risk for consumer health. These substances have been placed under attention by EFSA, which conducted a qualitative risk assessment concerning their presence in fermented foods in the European Union. Large amounts of BAs are usually found in fermented (cheese, sausages). In the processes of food manufacturing and storage, BAs are mainly formed by the decarboxylation of amino acid decarboxylase, and some aliphatic BAs are formed by amination and transamination of aldehydes and ketones.
The main factors affecting the content of BAs in traditional fermented foods can be classified as: food matrix; food processing and packaging technologies; food microorganisms (BAs-producing bacteria, BAs-degrading bacteria) (Guarcello et al., Appl Environ Microbiol 2016). 
Understanding the formation mechanism of BAs from the production pathway and the expression genes can help us better develop detection and control strategies.

Through multiomics approach, the BAs production in fermented foods (cheese and sausage) will be evaluated. Metabolic framework of BAs production in which players are subjected to continuous environmental and spatiotemporal stimuli will be assessed trough metagenomic, metatranscriptomic and metaproteomic analyses. The formation mechanisms of BAs from the production pathway and the expression genes will be unraveled. The quorum sensing will lead the way to the study of dynamic effects among BAs-producing bacteria in complex microbial systems on the formation. In addition, strategy based on predictive model(s) will be applied for reducing the accumulation of BAs in traditional foods while contemporarily maintaining their sensory attributes. A metabolomic approach will also be applied to evaluate the BAs accumulation in different traditional fermented foods.

The main results will be the multiomics-based risk assessment of the biogenic amines from the traditional fermented foods, a fundamental step to design risk mitigation strategies to reduce the risks associated with emerging and re-emerging risks (e.g. histamine in spoiled fosh, tyramine in cheese and sausages). The control strategies of BAs will be no longer limited to a single method (biological or physical), will be based on predictive models and will include combined methods in the processing, storage, transportation and other stages of traditional fermented foods.