Chinese Restaurant Syndrome, CRS, has been associated with monosodium glutamate, MSG, since 1968. This has not been proven to be the case. The symptoms of CRS include chest pain, heart palpitations, flushing, headache, numbness or burning of the mouth, facial pressure, sweating, and shortness of breath. It is significant to note that these symptoms mimic scombroidosis or scombroid poisoning, SP, caused by the improper handling or storage of fish. Moreover, the time of onset of symptoms of CRS and SP are identical, 10-30 min following comsumption. SP is associated with elevated levels of the biogenic amines histamine, putrescine, and cadaverine in the improperly handled fish. Soy beans are known to be high in amino acids including histidine, lysine, and ornithine; decarboxylation of these produces histamine, cadaverine, and putrescine. Commercial soy sauce is produced both by traditional fermentation, the product of which can either be aged or directly bottled and by the acidic hydrolysis of soy protein followed by neutralization with a base (typically NaOH). Commercially available soy sauces, prepared by both the traditional fermentation (directly bottled and aged varieties) and acid-hydrolysis of soy protein, were extracted and analyzed for the presence of biogenic amines including histamine, putrescine, and cadaverine.

Survey of commercially available soy sauces for the presence of histamine, putrescine, and cadaverine

253rd National Meeting (2017)

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