Comparison of the microbial communities and biogenic amines in air-dried bacon from four typical regions of southern China

The biogenic amines (BAs) in Chinese bacon poses some potential risks for human health. However, the contribution of microbial to BA accumulation has not been fully explored. In this study, the BA profiles and microbial communities in air-dried bacon from four typical regions of southern China were investigated and compared, and a correlation model was established to explore the potential relationship between core microbes and BAs. The samples from Sichuan (SC) and Hunan (HN) provinces performed higher average putrescine, cadaverine, tyramine, and total amine content than the samples from Zhejiang (ZJ) and Jiangsu (JS) provinces. Cadaverine, tyramine, and 2-phenylethylamine were first proposed as important indexes for evaluating the safety of Chinese bacon. Bacterial community analysis demonstrated that Staphylococcus, Lactobacillus, Acinetobacter, and Aeromonas were the most predominant genera in the JS, ZJ, SC, and HN groups, respectively. Spearman correlation analysis revealed four species (Pseudomonas azotoformans, Lactococcus raffinolactis, Vibrio palustris, and Acinetobacter WCHAc010034) were positively related to the major BA formation. Overall, these findings are helpful to assess the risk of dietary intake of BAs and provide valuable insights into the relationship between the active microbiota and BA profiles of Chinese bacon.