A simple and rapid method for histamine determination in fermented sausages by mediated chronopotentiometry

In order to provide the basis for the development of an inexpensive, sensitive, and reliable method for histamine determination in foods, the electrochemical behavior of histamine at planar gold disc electrode was investigated by chronopotentiometry. In solutions with sufficient chloride content dual oxidative mechanism of histamine was observed and included catalytic effect of electrogenerated chlorine. Well defined signal observed at +1.15 V in 0.0025 mol/l hydrochloric acid demonstrated sensitive changes with histamine content and was attributed to histamine. Electrogenerated chlorine facilitated charge transfer between histamine and the gold electrode resulting in enhancement of sensitivity. The effects of the most important experimental parameters of the chlorine-mediated chronopotentiometric analysis, such as the type and concentration of supporting electrolyte, initial potential and oxidation current were optimised. Under optimal experimental conditions, linear response of histamine was observed in the range 2-100 mg/l with achieved limit of detection for 0.27 mg/l of histamine. Developed method was applied for histamine determination in fermented sausages.

► A mediated chronopotentiometry for histamine determination was developed. ► In solutions with sufficient chloride content dual oxidative mechanism of histamine on solid gold electrode was observed and included catalytic effect of electrogenerated chlorine. ► Developed method for histamine determination offers many advantages including short analysis time, appreciable sensitivity and good reproducibility. ► The applicability of the method in analysis of real samples evaluated by histamine determination in several fermented sausage samples. ► The use of preparative column chromatography contributes to eliminate matrix interference.