The Contribution of cocoa additive to cigarette smoking addiction

Page 126 of 207 RIVM report 650270002
Tyramine
conversion factor: no data available
Critical assessment
Tyramine can be regarded as being phenol, ring-linked to an amino group containing,
aliphatic, short chain (aminoethyl-group).
Phenol contains a homocyclic six membered ring (no nitrogen or oxygen atoms in the
ring). The ring linked hydroxyl has the potential to act as a (very weak) acid.
The free amino group in the aliphatic chain is a potential group to react with
aldehydes and ketones and with monoamino-oxydase (MOA), and it adds basic
properties to the compound.
Conclusion
Tyramine potentially acts as a competitor for nicotine with respect to the oxidation
reaction with monoamino-oxydase.
FUNCTION IN TOBACCO
No data available.
AMOUNT IN TOBACCO PRODUCTS
Tyramine is a natural component of tobacco leaves. In Nicotiana tabacum plant, the
amount of free tyramine was 40 µg/g fresh weight (6). Assuming the dry weight of
tobacco is 10 % of the fresh weight and tyramine is not degraded during fermentation
process, than we conclude that the estimated tyramine amount in dried tobacco plant
is ± 400 µg/g dry weight. Tyramine is also added to tobacco as a component of
cocoa, which is used as a flavouring agent. A typical casing concentration of cocoa
for cigarette tobacco is 1% (7). The average amount of tyramine in cocoa varies from
0.73 – 14.7 µg/g (8). Assuming one cigarette weights approximately 1 g, the
maximum tyramine amount from cocoa in one cigarette is estimated to be 147 ng.
The natural tyramine amount in cigarettes from tobacco plant is ±2700 times higher
compared to the tyramine amount from added cocoa.
AMOUNT IN SMOKE
main stream
No data available.
side stream
No data available.
SOURCE
Tyramine is a natural tobacco component and is also added to tobacco as a
component of cocoa powder, which is used as flavouring agent (7).
ENVIRONMENTAL LEVELS AND HUMAN EXPOSURE
Tyramine content was determined in fish and fish products, ripening and processed
cheese, yeast, wine, cabbage and sauerkraut, and tomato paste. Tyramine levels found
in those products were: raw fish 0.0-2.6 mg/100 g, fish products 0.0-10.0 mg/100 g,
and cheeses 1.3-20.0 mg/100 g. In the remaining food products (tomato paste, yeast,
wine, cabbage and sauerkraut) tyramine content fluctuated between 0.0-8.0 mg/100 g