TY - JOUR T1 - Histamine-Producing Lactic Acid Bacteria in Wines: Early Detection, Frequency, and Distribution JF - American Journal of Enology and Viticulture JO - Am J Enol Vitic. SP - 199 LP - 204 DO - 10.5344/ajev.1998.49.2.199 VL - 49 IS - 2 AU - E. Coton AU - G. Rollan AU - A. Bertrand AU - A. Lonvaud-Funel Y1 - 1998/01/01 UR - http://www.ajevonline.org/content/49/2/199.abstract N2 - A direct PCR detection test which allows an early detection of histamine-producing bacteria showed that the presence of histidine decarboxylating bacteria (HDC+) is not rare, as almost half of the 118 tested wines possessed bacteria carrying the histidine decarboxylase gene. A relationship between the amplification of a 500 bp fragment, the enzymatic activity and the amine production was observed. Wines for which the PCR detection was negative never contained histamine. While those carrying HDC+ bacteria, always contained histamine in varying amounts. All the HDC+ strains belonged to the Leuconostoc oenos (oenococcus oeni) species. Moreover, study of HDC activity and colony-forming ability as a function of storage duration showed that even when cultivable population was no more detectable, the histidine decarboxylase activity remained. Histamine and other biogenic amines could be produced during wine aging. ER -