Biogenic amines: a key freshness parameter of animal protein products in the coming circular economy

Food waste is a matter of primary interest to global food security as it has important economic, environmental and social impacts. Circular economy is a key solution to the side-stream issue as it promotes resources reuse and waste minimization. Animal proteins are valuable resources and the extraction of proteins from meat production side-streams is an upcoming profitable business. In this context, the quantification of biogenic amines, chemical indices of freshness, has become a valuable screening tool for the rapid and objective assessment of meat waste products. Several approaches for quantification of biogenic amines have been developed, but high performance liquid chromatography remains the most reliable technique for defining the freshness of side-streams in meat production including animal protein products.