Interviewee: Zhu Yi, associate professor of the College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University
Global Times health client reporter Xu Ying
As temperatures rise, refreshing beers are starting to dominate the market again. However, recently, "30 beers tested by the Consumer Council contain biogenic amines" appeared on the hot search on the Internet, causing people's attention.
It is understood that the Hong Kong Consumer Council has tested 30 beers on the market, with a capacity of 330~500 ml and a labeled alcohol content of 3%~8%. The results showed that all samples were detected with different types and concentrations of biogenic amines, with the largest one being detected with 7 biogenic amines, among which agmatine (84.7 mg) and putrescine (47.6 mg) were detected at higher levels, and one was the highest single biogenic amine detected at 121.4 mg.
Zhu Yi, an associate professor at the College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering of China Agricultural University, said in an interview with the "Global Times Health Client" reporter that biogenic amines are a general term for a class of low-molecular-weight nitrogen-containing organic compounds, and they are also an indispensable bioactive ingredient for the human body, which can be synthesized by itself or obtained from food. The physiological activity and toxicological effects of biogenic amines are also significant, if controlled within a certain amount, they can play a positive role in the human body, such as participating in blood pressure regulation, enhancing intestinal immune function, regulating neurotransmitters, maintaining the stability of biofilms, etc., but if the safety limit is exceeded, it may cause headache, dizziness, vomiting, respiratory disorders and other symptoms, and even cause cerebral hemorrhage.
Biogenic amines in beer can come from three sources: 1. raw malt, 2. saccharification process of malt, and 3. fermentation process. Moderate amounts of biogenic amines can help improve the flavor and taste of beer, but if the content is too high, it can be harmful to the body. Some people have headaches, dizziness, etc. after drinking beer, it may be that biogenic amines are working, but everyone has a different tolerance to biogenic amines, so the reaction is different. According to Zhu Yi's analysis, the products with higher concentrations of biogenic amines in this test may have been contaminated during the brewing process and mixed with miscellaneous bacteria.
Biogenic amines are found in a variety of foods, such as spoiled or fermented fish and fish products, fermented foods, beverages, etc. The mainland will test the content of biogenic amines in food according to the standards, but at present, there are no safety limits for biogenic amines in beer at home and abroad. Zhu Yi believes that the Hong Kong Consumer Council's testing is quite forward-looking, which will help more consumers understand biogenic amines, and encourage manufacturers to pay more attention to them, further improve their processes, and make better products.
The test also found that deoxynivalenol (DON) was detected in 1 sample at a level of 26 μg/kg. Zhu Yi said that DON is also known as vomitoxin, which is generally found in the soil and can infect grains such as wheat and corn, and if the body consumes too much, it will cause symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain and fever. The state has clear standards for the content of DON in food, such as the "Limit of Mycotoxins in Food (GB2761-2011)", which stipulates that the allowable limit of DON in wheat and other products is less than or equal to 1000 micrograms/kg, as long as it does not exceed this range, it will not pose a risk to the health of consumers.
In addition to food safety concerns, the calories of beer should not be underestimated. A test conducted by the Hong Kong Consumer Council found that beers with high alcohol content are also relatively high in calories. The caloric content of each sample was 112~230 kcal, and the highest one (66 kcal/100 ml) was also the highest alcohol detection (7.46%). A 330ml can of 5% alcohol contains about 13 grams of alcohol, which is equivalent to a bowl of rice. If you drink 2 cans a day for 3 months, the human body has taken in about 16,500 kilocalories of energy from alcohol alone, which can be converted into about 2 kilograms of adipose tissue. If the amount of exercise is insufficient, these excess fats may accumulate in the internal organs and abdomen, resulting in central obesity, which can easily lead to coronary heart disease, stroke, hypertension, diabetes and other diseases.
However, consumers may not be able to choose products with lower calories based on the alcohol concentration on the product label. The test showed that the declared alcohol concentration of 6 models was quite different from the test result, and 4 of them were 0.5% or more higher than the labelled value. Zhu Yi said that this may mislead consumers and make them let their guard down and consume too much alcohol and calories, and manufacturers should make improvements.
Alcohol is a group of carcinogens and consumers may refer to the following advice when purchasing and drinking beer:
1. Non-alcoholic beer may still contain trace amounts of alcohol (about 0.5%), and people who are sensitive to alcohol, driving, and taking drugs should pay special attention;
2. The color of the beer does not match the alcohol content, for example, the alcohol content of pale golden Belgian beer can exceed 10%, while the alcohol concentration of dark beer such as dark beer is about the same as that of regular beer (5%);
3. According to the Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents (2022), adults should not consume more than 15 grams of alcohol a day, that is, one can of beer per day may exceed the standard;
4. The most ideal storage temperature of beer is 5°C~10°C, if the temperature is too high or placed in the sun, it may make the beer deteriorate or shorten the shelf life, if the storage temperature is too low, it will affect the aroma of beer. ▲
Source: Life Times