The occurrence of volatile amines in uncured and cured pork meat and their possible role in nitrosamine formation in bacon

The concentrations of volatile amines were determined in the eye muscle of 10 pork carcasses at the following stages of curing: immediately after slaughter, before curing, after maturation and after vacuum‐packed storage of the bacon. Methylamine (MA), dimethylamine (DMA), trimethylamine (TMA), ethylamine (EA), diethylamine (DEA), n ‐propylamine ( n ‐PA) and isopropylamine (iso‐PA) were detected by gas chromatography; MA was present in greatest concentration [up to 1900 μg/kg (1 part/10 9 )], the concentration of the others being considerably less. During the course of bacon manufacture, the concentrations of DMA, TMA, n ‐PA and iso‐PA increased consistently up to the end of the maturation period, despite the presence of nitrite both in the brine and in the bacon; in subsequent storage, only DMA and TMA continued to increase. MA decreased during curing and maturation, and thereafter remained unchanged; EA and DEA were unchanged throughout at very low levels. The mean value for the concentration of DMA was below 200 μg/kg before curing; higher values (maximum 520 μg/kg) were found in vacuum packed stored bacon. No nitrosamines were found above the detection limit (1 μg/kg) in any of the uncooked pork or bacon.