The microbial community, biogenic amines content of soybean paste, and the degradation of biogenic amines by Lactobacillus plantarum HM24

Soybean paste was a traditional fermented product in Northeast China, mainly fermented by molds, yeast, Bacillus, and lactic acid bacteria. This study investigated the dynamic changes of the microbial community and biogenic amine content during the fermentation of the traditional soybean paste. The microbial diversity of soybean paste in different regions was analyzed by MiSeq sequencing technology. The results showed that Penicillium and Tetragenococcus were the dominant microorganisms responsible for the fermentation of soybean paste. Biogenic amine was found in the traditional soybean paste at different fermentation stages, putrescine, and tyramine were the mainly biogenic amines and their content increased with the extension of fermentation time. Serratia in the soybean paste was positively correlated with the formation of spermine, cadaverine (p < .01), and β‐phenethylamine (p < .05), Leuconostoc was negatively correlated with tyramine formation (p < .05), and Enterococcus was positively correlated with the formation of histamine, tryptamine and cadaverine (p < .01). Lactobacillus fermentum HM22, Lactobacillus plantarum HM24, and Enterococcus faecalis YF10042 with strong biogenic amine degrading capacity were inoculated into the koji. After 20 days of fermentation, the degradation rates of tryptamine, β‐phenylethylamine, putrescine, cadaverine, histamine, and tyramine in soybean paste inoculated with L. plantarum HM24 were 35.31%, 43.14%, 30.18%, 33.44%, 32.74%, and 39.91%, respectively, indicating that the use of L. plantarum HM24 as a starter culture in soybean paste fermentation might be a good strategy for biogenic amines reduction.