THE EFFECTIVENESS OF AQUEOUS OZONE ON THE LEVELS OF BIOGENIC AMINES AND THEIR CAUSATIVE BACTERIA IN CHICKEN CUTS USING A VERIFIED HPLC ASSAY

Maha S. Abd Elhafeez*, Fatma H. Amro, Mona Momtaz M. Abd el-aziz, Eman El Khawaga, Eman Shukry, Gamilat A. Elsaid, Mahmoud A. Abdelrahman, Heba E. Farhan, Waleed A. Ibrahim and Pierre E. Mehanny

ABSTRACT

Biogenic amines (BAs) are low-molecular-weight compounds that contain basic nitrogen and are essential for evaluating meat quality and safety. Monitoring BAs, such as tyramine, histamine, putrescine, cadaverine, tryptamine, spermidine, and spermine, is vital for ensuring the freshness and safety of chicken cuts. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of aqueous ozone treatment on biogenic amine levels and the microbial quality of various raw chicken cuts. A validated, straightforward HPLC assay was employed for the simultaneous determination of these amines. Samples of raw chicken cuts, including wings, breasts, thighs, and drumsticks, were subjected to bacteriological investigation and BA determination before and after treatment with 8 ppm of aqueous ozone for 10 minutes. Following the ozone treatment, the chicken cuts showed no adverse color changes. The bacteriological examination revealed acceptable levels of Aerobic Plate Count (APC), Total Coliform Count (TCC), and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) in all examined samples. The application of ozone water significantly reduced the bacterial counts, with a p-value of less than 0.05. The reduction percentages varied as APC decreased by 32.6% to 45.5%, TCC reduced by 22.9% to 65.7%, and S. aureus decreased from 79.5% to 91.5%. As for the biogenic amines, neither histamine nor tryptamine was detected in any sample before treatment. Furthermore, the detected amines (tyramine, putrescine, and cadaverine) were insignificantly affected by ozone treatment. Our results indicate that using ozone water for disinfecting chicken carcasses during processing can enhance public health by extending shelf life, reducing biogenic amines, and lowering microbial counts.

Keywords: Bacteria, Chicken meat, Deterioration, HPLC, Ozone.