Free Amino Acids in Dark- and White-muscle Fish as Determined by O-phthaldialdehyde Precolumn Derivatization

• Published in: Journal of food science Vol. 66; no. 1; pp. 72 - 77
• Main Authors: Antoine, F.R., Wei, C.I., Littell, R.C., Quinn, B.P., Hogle, A.D., Marshall, M.R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01-01-2001; Institute of Food Technologists; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: Amino acids; Biological and medical sciences; dark-muscle fish; Fish; Fish and seafood industries; Food contamination & poisoning; Food industries; free amino acids; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; HPLC; OPA precolumn derivatization; white-muscle fish; Edible fish; Fluorescent tracer; Precolumn; Alteration; HPLC chromatography; Foodstuff; Derivatization; Precursor; Aminoacid; Biogenic amine; Quality control; Biological contamination; Quantitative analysis
• ISSN: 0022-1147; 1750-3841
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2621.2001.tb15584.x

Free amino acids in fish reflect microbial spoilage, and are precursors of biogenic amines, factors of health concern and indicators offish decomposition. The objective of this research was to quantify levels of free histidine, lysine, ornithine and glutamine, which may become originators of highly undesirable histamine, cadaverine and putrescine in fish tissue. Liquid chromatography using o‐phthaldialdehyde (OPA) pre‐column derivatization, gradient elution and a C18 column were used for separation. Histidine was higher in white tissue of mahi‐mahi and tuna than in red tissue. No significant difference in lysine levels was found between the two tissues of tuna. Glutamine and ornithine were higher in red tissue of mahi‐mahi and tuna. Red snapper had higher levels of lysine than histidine.