Tyramine, a biogenic agent in cheese: amount and factors affecting its formation, a systematic review

Abstract

Tyramine is one of the most important biological amines in food, which leads to food poisoning if consumed in high amounts. In addition to food poisoning, tyramine leads to drug interactions. Foods high in tyramine can cause high blood pressure and migraines in people taking monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors. Therefore, people taking MAO inhibitors should avoid foods high in tyramine. Cheese provides ideal conditions for the production of tyramine. Some cheeses contain high amounts of tyramine and lead to unwanted effects in people taking MAO inhibitors. These unwanted effects are called the cheese effect or tyramine interaction. Considering the importance of the subject, a systematic study was designed with the aim of determining the amount of tyramine in cheeses and the effect of effective factors on the amount of tyramine production. The search was done in three databases, including Scopus, PubMed, and Science Direct. The study was conducted in two phases. In the first stage, the amount of tyramine reported in cheeses, the analytical method, measurement, and characteristics of cheese were discussed. In the second phase, the influencing factors in its formation were investigated. Based on the extracted data, tyramine levels ranged from 3.23 to 1398 mg/kg. The most analytical method for measuring tyramine in the studies was the HPLC method. According to a detailed review of the literature, the influencing factors included bacterial species, animal species, the effect of storage conditions (time and temperature), pH, moisture, salt, and the number of somatic cells. Basically, by identifying the factors affecting the amount of tyramine in cheeses, it is possible to control the production of tyramine.