Fluorescence digital image-based method to measure biogenic amines in Buffalo Mozzarella and other cheeses produced in Brazil

A fluorescence digital image-based (FDIB) method was applied for the determination of total biogenic amines in Mozzarella, Buffalo Mozzarella, Prato and Coalho cheese. For the first time in the literature a FDIB has been applied to quantify biogenic amines (BA) in cheese samples. No analytical methods have been reported before for the analysis of BA in Buffalo Mozzarella. Therefore, two BAs, i.e., Histamine and Tyramine were selected as models to evaluate the behavior of BAs during the derivatization reaction with dansyl chloride (DNS-Cl). The total biogenic amines ranged from 16.98 +/- 0.98 mg L-1 to 72.48 +/- 1.78 mg L-1 for cheese samples. Similar results with a confidence level of 95% were obtained using high performance liquid chromatography with spectrophotometric detection at 254 nm. The FDIB method developed reduces analytical steps such as extraction of excess of derivatizing agent, purification, removal of the used solvent, pre-concentration of analytes, filtration, and other analytical procedures that are used in HPLC, colorimetry, spectrophotometry, spectrofluorometry and other analytical methods. Thus, the FDIB is faster, low cost and generates less waste, being a more green method compared to the mentioned methods.