Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
ITALIAN JOURNAL OF FOOD SCIENCE, cilt.38, sa.1, ss.47-59, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
Traditional fermented cheese is widely consumed in T & uuml;rkiye because of its distinctive flavor and nutritional value. This study aimed to isolate and characterize Enterococcus species from traditional cheese samples and to evaluate their ability to produce biogenic amines (BAs). A total of 186 cheese samples were screened for the presence of Enterococcus spp., yielding 135 isolates, of which 92 were identified as E. faecium and 43 as E. faecalis. Phenotypic identification was performed using standard biochemical tests, while molecular characterization was achieved through 16S rDNA gene sequencing. The decarboxylase activity of the isolates was assessed using modified decarboxylase media, and the concentrations of four BAs, named histamine, tyramine, putrescine, and cadaverine, were quantified using high-performance liquid chromatography. In addition, polymerase chain reaction analysis was employed to detect BA-encoding genes. Gel electrophoresis results showed that 25, 24, 21, and 13 strains harbored genes responsible for the production of histamine, tyramine, putrescine, and cadaverine, respectively. Among the 25 BA-producing isolates, 18 were E. faecium and 7 were E. faecalis. The BA concentrations in cheese samples ranged from ND to 97.36 mg/L, with putrescine being the most abundant BA. Specifically, histamine, tyramine, putrescine, and cadaverine were produced in the ranges of 14.87-26.24, 2.9-33.47, 0.91-97.36, and 1.18-57.84 mg/L, respectively. No statistically significant differences in BA levels were observed between bacterial groups. These findings as BAs are heat-stable compounds that cannot be eliminated by common thermal food- processing techniques. Their presence may reflect both quality of raw materials and hygienic conditions during production of cheese.