Identification of technological/metabolic/environmental profiles associated with cheeses accumulating the neuroactive compound tryptamine.

Tryptamine is a neuromodulator of the central nervous system. It is also a biogenic amine, formed by the microbial decarboxylation of L-tryptophan. Tryptamine accumulation in cheese has been scarcely examined. No studies are available regarding the factors that could influence its accumulation. Determining the tryptamine content and identifying the factors that influence its accumulation could help in the design of functional tryptamine-enriched cheeses without potentially toxic concentrations being reached. We report the tryptamine concentration of 300 cheese samples representing 201 varieties. 16% of the samples accumulated tryptamine, at between 3.20 mg kg and 3012.14 mg kg (mean of 29.21 mg kg). 4.7% of cheeses accumulated tryptamine at higher levels than those described as potentially toxic. Moreover, three technological/metabolic/environmental profiles associated with tryptamine-containing cheese were identified, as well as the hallmark varieties reflecting each. Such knowledge could be useful for the dairy industry to control the tryptamine content of their products.