Amines in Cheddar Cheese

Abstract

A number of experimental and commercial Cheddar cheeses were examined for free amines. Among the amines definitely observed were cadaverine, putrescine, tyramine, histamine, tryptamine and a compound presumed to be an amine and present in relatively large concentration. The de-carboxylation product of glutamic acid, gamma-amino-butyric acid, was also conspicuous in many of the cheeses. Raw milk cheese normally contained higher levels of the amines and gamma-amino butyric acid than did pasteurized milk cheese after comparable ripening periods. Soluble protein was not closely related to amine concentration. Strong unclean flavors predominating in experimental raw milk cheese were accompanied by large chromatographic areas identified as cadaverine and putrescine and by large areas representing gamma-amino-butyric acid. In commercial cheese no relationship within the raw cheese group was found between concentration of amines and unclean flavor, but levels of gamma-amino-butyric acid generally increased with increases in intensity of unclean flavor.