BIOGENICALLY ACTIVE AMINES IN FOOD

Cel

A. BACKGROUND

Biologically active amines may have both beneficial and harmful effects, and present knowledge is not sufficient to make any recommendations to either healthy individuals or to those on medication or suffering from cancer. We must therefore improve our knowledge on the importance and contribution of biologically active amines in the diet to growth and health.

An interdisciplinary, joint European effort, which combines expertise in the fields of biochemistry, microbiology, food technology, cellular and molecular biology is needed to clarify the physiological functions of biogenic amines. Although polyamine research is highly developed in the United States and Japan and, in spite of large sums of money already invested in this field of science, the importance of dietary amines is not yet recognized by these countries. It is hoped that, based on European expertise and the information gathered in Europe, we will be in a position to be able to give advice on safety limits of biogenic amines and on polyamine requirements.

It has been known for some time that amines possess biological activity. They are formed during normal metabolic processes in living organisms and are therefore present in our everyday food products. However, the characteristics and biological functions of amines are very diverse. They can be categorized as biogenic amines (serotonin, putrescine, cadaverine, agmatine, tyramine, histamine, phenylethylamine and tryptamine) or natural polyamines (putrescine, spermidine and spermine). Both polyamines and biogenic amines are present in our food, but have different effects: polyamines appear to be essential while biogenic amines are mostly detrimental.

Biogenic amines are formed and degraded during normal cellular metabolism. They can also be produced by bacteria by decarboxylation of free amino acids. Therefore, all foodstuffs produced using fermentation processes or exposed to bacteria or microbial contamination during processing or storage can contain large amounts of biogenic amines. Biogenic amine formation requires only free amino acids, a microorganism containing decarboxylase activity and conditions allowing bacterial growth. Since biogenic amines play a variety of physiological roles, such as regulation of body temperature, stomach volume and pH, and can alter brain activity, they have the potential to exert profound effects on health and well-being. Biologically the most effective biogenic amines are tyramine, which is vasoactive, and histamine, which is both vasoactive and psychoactive. High biogenic amine consumption is dangerous. It can lead to nausea, respiratory distress, hot flushes, sweating, heart palpitation, headache, bright red rash, oral burning, hyper- or hypotension so that the biogenic amine content of foods should be kept at a very low level.

In contrast, the natural polyamines through their involvement in signal transduction and in nearly every step of DNA, RNA and protein synthesis, are essential for growth and cell proliferation. Their importance in reproductive function is evident even from their names (spermidine and spermine). Recent work has contradicted earlier beliefs that polyamines needed for growth were exclusively synthesized in situ. It is now apparent that the source of polyamines accumulating in the small bowel or other organs under the influence of hormones or growth factors, might be of (a) de novo biosynthesis; (b) the diet; or (c) bacteria resident in the gut lumen. As with semi-essential amino acids, our diet is very important and the major source of polyamines. Human health and proper nutrition is based on a healthy gut. Since the intestina epithelium has the highest cell turnover, polyamines are vital for the proper structure and function of the entire digestive tract and for maintaining its metabolic activity. Other organs of the body also require polyamines for their growth, renewal and metabolism. Although every cell can synthesise polyamines to some extent, it appears that the body relies on a continuous supply of polyamines from the food. Because polyamines are so important for proliferation, cancer growth also requires polyamines, most of which comes from the diet. Potentially, dietary polyamine intake could be limited by manipulating the polyamine content of certain foodstuffs or designing low polyamine diets.

Both polyamines and biogenic amines appear to share similar routes of uptake and metabolism. They are readily absorbed by the gut but during the uptake process they can be eliminated by mono- di- and polyamine oxidases as part of the normal detoxification process. However, the activity of these enzymes is dependent on the state of the gut (ontogenic development, differentiation/maturation), which influences absorption and bioavailability of these biologically active amines. Normally, the healthy gut is capable of eliminating biogenic amines from the diet, but this system has limited capacity. If overexposure to biogenic amines occurs, some might get through the gut into the systemic circulation without oxidation and exert toxic effects. At the same time absorption of dietary polyamines is essential for maintaining the structure and integrity of the gut and for supporting growth.

Because biologically active amines in food can influence our health and well-being, their interaction with our gut and body must be studied carefully. This is the aim of this Concerted Action.

B. OBJECTIVES AND BENEFITS

The main objective of the Action is to improve our knowledge on the importance and contribution of biologically active amines in the diet to growth and health by establishing their bioavailability and clarifying their physiological functions.

The scientific outcome, by providing fundamental data for our understanding of food-gut interaction, makes an important contribution to general health. It will produce information on basic biochemistry, physiology, nutrition and digestive physiology. There is also scope for medical applications, such as formation of a low polyamine, anti-cancer diet to provide a higher quality life-style for cancer patients, or giving nutritional advice to people on certain types of medication which makes them sensitive to biogenic amines. Both human and animal health can benefit from the results.

By organizing European research cooperation on these issues and exchanging methods, results and other information the Action will promote and harmonize research in Europe and raise the quality of research within the field of the Action.

It is anticipated that health and well-being of the members of European countries will improve as a result of the accumulation of unique knowledge on polyamines and solutions are found concerning the problem of the presence of biologically active amines in food. By providing a competitive edge for European science, pharmaceutic as well as food- and feed companies could benefit from the results in the near future.

C. SCIENTIFIC PROGRAMME

Initially, participants will collect information about ongoing research in this field and identify experts to be involved in the Action. Since the area of research identified is broad, several sub-topics will be addressed in parallel and grouped together in the following five Work Packages:

Work Package 1 - Physiology and metabolism of biologically active amines: to collect information on uptake, metabolism and physiological function of biologically active amines:

- to establish the bioavailability and clarify the physiological functions of biologically active amines and the size of the body polyamine pool;

- calculate the half-life polyamines and to identify the sites and determine the capacity of uptake of biologically active amines by the different parts of the gastrointestinal tract;

- to determine the levels of toxicity of biogenic amines and establish signs of polyamine deficiency;

- to explore the role of body polyamine pool in regulation of growth and metabolism of the intestinal tract and other internal organs and establish the effects of lectins and other antinutritional factors in food and their polyamine requirements;

- to formulate low- and high-polyamine content diets to meet the special health needs of specific patient groups, i.e. for slowing down unwanted (tumour) growth or help recovery from injury (operation/burns);

Work Package 2 - Polyamines and tumour growth: to study the effects of polyamine-free diet on tumour growth in experimental animal models and in human studies:

- to formulate low- and high-polyamine content diets to meet the special health needs of specific patient groups and to explore the role of body polyamine pool in regulation of growth and metabolism of the intestinal tract and other internal organs.

Work Package 3 - Transgenic plants: University researchers and seed companies will cooperate to create transgenic plants in which the amine content and the enzymes involved in amine metabolism are modulated to satisfy special dietary needs:

- to create transgenic cereal plants with low polyamine content to be used in formulation of a nutritious but low polyamine diet for cancer patients and to help in the formulation of low- and high-polyamine content diets.

Work Package 4 - Biologically active amines in food processing: to measure the biogenic amine content of food during storage and processing:

- to determine the levels of toxicity of biogenic amines and establish signs of polyamine deficiency;

- to select bacterial strains with low biogenic amine formation capacity for the fermentation and food industries and to participate in the formulation of low- and high-polyamine content diets.

Work Package 5 - Production of biologically active amines by bacteria: Microbiologists involved in nutritional research, toxicological testing and industrial production will concentrate on estimating the biogenic amine production capacity of bacterial cultures used by the food industry:

- to identify the sites and determine the capacity of uptake of biologically active amines by the different parts of the gastrointestinal tract and assess their amounts;

- to determine the levels of toxicity of biogenic amines and to establish signs of polyamine deficiency and to select bacterial strains with low biogenic amine formation capacity for the fermentation and food industries.

The research work to be carried out within these Work Packages will improve our knowledge on the importance and contribution of biologically active amines of the diet to growth, establishing their bioavailability and clarifying their physiological functions and to determine which age-groups are the most vulnerable to polyamine deficiency and exposure to biogenic amine toxicity: to determine the relative contribution of biologically active amines derived from food and luminal bacteria and to develop new strategies for the assessment of food quality, safety and wholesomeness, which ultimately will lead to improvements in health and quality of life. Thus, as a whole, contribute toward the achievement of the main objective of the Action as defined in Section B.

D. ORGANIZATION AND TIMETABLE

To achieve our objectives, the following working groups will be responsible for coordinating the research work within the five Work Packages described in Section C.

Working Group 1 - Physiology and metabolism of biologically active amines

Working Group 2 - Polyamines and tumour growth

Working Group 3 - Transgenic plants

Working Group 4 - Biologically active amines in food processing

Working Group 5 - Production of biologically active amines by bacteria

The duration of the Action is planned for five years.

A Management Committee will be set up to work out the rules of operation at the first formal meeting. The Chairperson(s) and leaders of the Working Groups will also be nominated at that meeting. The Management Committee will meet twice a year to oversee progress, coordinate and advise on future activities in the Working Groups. The Chairperson(s) and Working Group leaders will ensure the high scientific standard of the Action and ensure that the objectives are achieved.

The Chairperson and the Scientific Secretary will be responsible for preparing and distributing the agenda and minutes of the Management Committee meetings to all members, organizing group meetings, workshops and seminars. It will also be their duty to publish proceedings, prepare Annual Reports for the COST Officials and to write the Final Report.

E. ECONOMIC DIMENSIONS

The following COST countries have actively participated in the preparation of the Action or otherwise indicated their interest: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. On the basis of national estimates provided by the representatives of these countries and taking into account the coordination cost to be covered over the COST budget of the European Commission, the overall cost of the activities to be carried out under the Action has been estimated, at 1995 prices, at roughly ECU 60 million.

This estimate is valid on the assumption that all the countries mentioned above, but no others, will participate in the Action. Any departure from this will change the total cost accordingly.

National research funds are provided by nearly every European country to study polyamines and biogenic amines.

Current status
The main objective of the Action is to establish the bioavailability of biologically active amines in the diet and clarify their physiological functions, thus improving our knowledge of their importance and the contribution they make to growth and health.
At the First Management Committee Meeting in Brussels, 5 Working Groups were identified and co-ordinators for each of these were selected :

Working Group 1 - Physiology and metabolism of biologically active amines : remit to collect information on uptake, metabolism and physiological function of biologically active amines; to establish the bioavailability and clarify the physiological functions of biologically active amines and the size of the body polyamine pool; to calculate the half-life of polyamines and to identify the sites and determine the capacity of uptake of biologically active amines by the different parts of the gastrointestinal tract; to determine the levels of toxicity of biogenic amines and establish signs of polyamine deficiency; to establish the effects of lectins and other antinutritional factors in food and their polyamine requirements.

Working Group 2 - Polyamines and tumour growth : remit to study the effects of polyamine-free diet on tumour growth in experimental animal models and in human studies, i.e. for slowing down unwanted (tumour) growth or helping recovery from injury (operation/burns); to formulate low- and high-polyamine content diets to meet the special health needs of specific patient groups and to explore the role of the body polyamine pool in regulation of growth and metabolism of the intestinal tract and other internal organs.

Working Group 3 - Transgenic plants : remit to select or create transgenic plants in which the amine content and the enzymes involved in amine metabolism are modulated to satisfy special dietary needs; to create transgenic cereal plants with low polyamine content to be used in formulation of a nutritious but low polyamine diet for cancer patients.

Working Group 4 - Biologically active amines in food processing : remit to measure the biogenic amine content of food during storage and processing; to select bacterial strains with low biogenic amine formation capacity for the fermentation and food industries and to participate in the formulation of low- and high-polyamine content diets.

Working Group 5 - Production of biologically active amines by bacteria : Microbiologists involved in nutritional research, toxicological testing and industrial production will concentrate on estimating the biogenic amine production capacity of bacterial cultures used by the food industry; to identify the sites and determine the capacity of uptake of biologically active amines by the different parts of the gastrointestinal tract; to determine the levels of toxicity of biogenic amines and to establish signs of polyamine deficiency.

Program(-y)

IC-COST - European cooperation in the field of scientific and technical research (COST), 1971-

Temat(-y)

5 - Food Technology

Zaproszenie do składania wniosków

Data not available

System finansowania

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Koordynator

CEC

Wkład UE

Brak danych

Adres

Rue de la Loi, 200
1049 Brussels
Belgia

Koszt całkowity