Analysis of Histamine in Beer. Ernest C.-H. Chen and George Van Gheluwe, Research and Development Department, Molson Breweries of Canada Ltd., Montreal, Quebec, Canada H2L 2R5. J. Am. Soc. Brew. Chem. 37:0091, 1979.

An automated continuous-flow system was adapted for clarification, extraction, and fluorometric determination of histamine in beer. More than 200 Canadian, American, and European beers were analyzed. The normal concentration of beer histamine ranged from 100 to 300 µg per liter, depending on the type of beer. Among the Canadian beers, Porter contained the highest amount of histamine, followed by malt liquor, ale, lager, and low-alcohol beer, in descending order. Apparently, the higher the ratio of malt to cereal adjunct, the more histamine is formed. Higher original wort gravity also results in more histamine. Unusually high amounts of histamine were found in some bacteria-infected beers. Brewer's yeast seemed to be devoid of histidine decarboxylase activity, as yeast fermentation did not generate histamine.

Keywords: Automated analysis, Beer histamine, Fluorometry, Histidine decarboxylase