Impact of Added Spices on Biogenic Amine Generation During the Manufacture of Two Traditional Spanish Sausages

Background: This work aimed to investigate the impact of adding different spices on the accumulation of biogenic amines throughout the ripening process of Chorizo and Salchichón (two Spanish traditional sausages). Methods: Five distinct batches of chorizo (A: produced only with sweet paprika; B: with sweet paprika + spicy paprika; C: with sweet paprika + garlic; D: with sweet paprika + oregano; E: with sweet paprika + spicy paprika + garlic + oregano) and three different batches of salchichón (A: produced with white pepper; B: with black pepper; C: with white + black peppers) were manufactured and analyzed in triplicate. Along 30 days of ripening, samples were taken from each replicate of each batch, and the Aw and pH values were assessed, as well as the contents of tryptamine, 2-phenylethylamine, putrescine, cadaverine, histamine, tyramine, spermidine, and spermine using high-performance liquid chromatography methods. Results: The final total average content of biogenic amines in chorizo sausage was 355.23 mg/kg of T.S in batch A. The addition of spices (spicy paprika, garlic, and oregano) significantly reduced this value (p < 0.001), with percentage reductions of 13.72%, 28.01%, 14.36%, and 23.89% in batches B, C, D, and E, respectively, compared with the content in batch A. Meanwhile, the accumulation of amines during ripening was notably lower in the salchichón sausage compared with chorizo (83.77–87.43 mg/kg of TS at the end of manufacturing), and no effect was observed regarding the type of spices added (p > 0.05). Conclusions: The generation and accumulation of biogenic amines were notably lower in salchichón than in chorizo sausage, possibly due to differences in the ingredients other than spices, integrating the mixture formulas. The addition of spicy paprika, oregano, and, especially, garlic promoted a reduction in the generation of biogenic amines in the chorizo sausage, particularly cadaverine, putrescine, and tyramine. This reducing effect appears to be due to an enhancement of acidification that occurs during manufacturing, as well as the subsequent inhibitory effect on amine-producing microbial groups.