Toxicological relevance of biogenic amines in honey: dietary exposure and integrated risk indicators in Algerian and Moroccan honeys

Biogenic amines are nitrogenous compounds that may occur in foods through plant metabolism, bee enzymatic activity, or microbial decarboxylation. This study evaluated biogenic amines content in monofloral honeys from Algeria and Morocco, integrating compositional analysis, quality indices, and dietary exposure assessment within a toxicological risk characterization framework. Eight amines were quantified by HPLC-FLD, and Estimated Daily Intake (EDI) was calculated under adult and pediatric low- and high-consumption scenarios. Composite indices, including Total Biogenic Amines (TBA), Biogenic Amine Index (BAI), Vasoactive Amine Load (VAL), Potentiation Index (PI), and Quality Index (QI), were determined. Marked intra- and inter-city variability was observed, particularly for serotonin, tryptamine, and tyramine. Algerian Euphorbia orientalis L. samples showed the highest TBA and VAL values. However, histamine concentrations generally remained below 1 mg/kg, and tyramine levels were markedly lower than doses associated with hypertensive effects. Worst-case EDI values were in the order of 10⁻³-10⁻⁴ mg/kg body weight/day, including high-consumption pediatric scenarios. PI values were low, indicating limited synergistic amplification by diamines. Overall, despite botanical and geographical variability, the analyzed honeys exhibit a wide safety margin and based on the applied screening-level assessment, no immediate risk is indicated under the considered scenarios.