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The foods high in tyramine are mostly aged or fermented protein foods: ripened cheeses, dry fermented sausages, fermented soy foods such as soybean pastes and some soy sauces, sauerkraut, beer drawn from a tap and yeast extract spreads. The USDA SR Legacy food database has no tyramine values, so the numbers here come from a 2022 peer-reviewed review of food science studies, reported as the review gives them. They swing widely: in one study cited by the review, 20 blue cheese samples ranged from 0 to 1,585 milligrams per kilogram, because tyramine builds up with aging, fermentation and storage. Below: a table of values, low-tyramine foods and the MAOI caution from MedlinePlus and FDA labeling.
Peptide Labs does not sell foods or medicines. This article is general nutrition information, not medical advice. Anyone prescribed an MAOI medicine should get a food list from their prescriber or pharmacist.
Key Takeaways
- Tyramine forms when microbes break down tyrosine, an amino acid in protein, so aging, fermentation and long storage raise it.
- USDA SR Legacy lists tyrosine but no tyramine, so tyramine numbers come from laboratory studies.
- In the 2022 review, samples of the same kind of cheese, sausage or soy product ranged from very low to very high.
- Fresh foods kept cold, such as fresh cheese, milk and fresh meat, measured low in the review.
- MedlinePlus warns of a serious reaction when people on certain MAOI medicines eat high-tyramine foods; ask your prescriber or pharmacist.
What is tyramine, and why look at foods high in tyramine?
Tyramine is a biogenic amine, a small compound that bacteria make from tyrosine. The 2022 review by Van den Eynde, Gillman and Blackwell in Psychopharmacology Bulletin explains that tyramine builds up through deliberate fermentation or through lapses in hygiene, production or storage, and that it is heat stable, so cooking does not remove it. The review also explains why it matters for a small group of people: monoamine oxidase (MAO) enzymes in the gut and liver break down most dietary tyramine, and MAOI medicines block those enzymes.
MedlinePlus describes the same food pattern: tyramine “is found in many foods, including meat, poultry, fish, or cheese that has been smoked, aged, improperly stored, or spoiled; certain fruits, vegetables, and beans; alcoholic beverages; and yeast products that have fermented.” USDA SR Legacy carries values for tyrosine but none for tyramine.
Tyramine foods: a table from the research
The table lists values reported in the 2022 review, which compiles published laboratory studies: milligrams per kilogram for solid foods and milligrams per liter for liquids. The samples column shows how much data stands behind each line; no figure describes a particular brand.
| Food (2022 review data) | Samples | Tyramine reported |
|---|---|---|
| Blue cheeses | 20 | 0 to 1,585 mg/kg |
| Acid-curd cheeses | 48 | mean about 157 mg/kg, highest 1,597 mg/kg |
| Smear-ripened cheeses | 18 | about 272 mg/kg |
| Fermented sausages, 20 European studies | 20 studies | means usually 200 mg/kg or less, some above 600 mg/kg |
| Salamis, commercial | 20 | 0 to 355 mg/kg |
| Soybean pastes (doenjang) | 23 | some undetectable, several above 1,000 mg/kg |
| Chinese soy sauces | 40 | 8.5 to 600 mg/L |
| Sauerkraut, 7 countries | over 100 | many under 200 mg/kg, some 400 to 900 mg/kg |
| Beer on tap, 4 high samples | 49 tap beers | 26.34 to 112.91 mg/L |
| Bottled or canned beer | 49 | 0 to 3.16 mg/L |
| Yeast extract spreads | recent readings | 322 to about 650 mg/kg |
Tyramine in cheese: type, age and rind
Cheese is the classic example; the review notes that the tyramine reaction with MAOI medicines is also called the cheese effect. The review reports that many commercial cheeses now measure below 20 milligrams per kilogram, while matured and artisanal cheeses run higher and the rind usually holds more than the core. In one survey of 150 cheeses it summarizes, 13 extra-hard cheeses measured under 5 milligrams per kilogram and 12 mould-ripened soft cheeses under 7, while smear-ripened and acid-curd cheeses were far higher.
Ripening drives much of this. In studies cited by the review, goat cheese rose from 0 on day 1 to about 70 milligrams per kilogram after 90 days of ripening, and feta from 0 on day 1 to 246 on day 120. Our cheese guide, blue cheese guide and Parmesan guide cover nutrition.
Dry sausages and other preserved meats
Fresh meat starts low. In a study cited by the review, fresh pork, lamb, turkey, chicken and beef held at 2 degrees Celsius measured 0.70 milligrams per kilogram or less on day 0, rising to as much as 28.5 by day 6 and 35.5 by day 10. Fermented sausages are higher and more variable: per the review, a summary of 20 European studies found mean values usually at or below 200 milligrams per kilogram with some samples above 600, and 20 commercial salamis ranged from 0 to 355. See our salami, chorizo and prosciutto guides.
Fermented soy and fermented cabbage
Soybeans themselves have low or undetectable tyramine and fresh tofu usually measures low, per the review, although one study found 2 of 6 firm tofu samples high, at 31.5 and 185 milligrams per kilogram. Fermented soy varies more: per the review, some of 23 soybean paste samples had undetectable tyramine while several exceeded 1,000 milligrams per kilogram, and 40 Chinese soy sauces ranged from 8.5 to 600 milligrams per liter. See our tofu, miso and soy sauce guides.
For sauerkraut, the review cites a survey of more than 100 samples from 7 countries: many were under 200 milligrams per kilogram, but some reached 400 to 900. Kimchi samples in one study cited by the review peaked at 120. See our sauerkraut and kimchi guides and our fermented foods guide.
Beer on tap versus bottled beer
The review summarizes a study by Tailor and colleagues of 98 beer samples from 79 brands. The 49 bottled or canned beers ranged from 0 to 3.16 milligrams of tyramine per liter, while 4 samples were above 10 milligrams per liter, the cutoff the researchers used, at 26.34 to 112.91 milligrams per liter; all four were lagers served on tap. The review links higher amine levels in draught beer to possible bacterial contamination of dispense lines, taps and spouts.
These findings are not permission for MAOI users to drink beer: the FDA prescribing information for one MAOI lists “Beer and wine” and “Alcohol-free and reduced-alcohol beer and wine products” among the beverages to avoid. Ask your prescriber or pharmacist.
Yeast extracts, chocolate and fava bean pods
- Yeast extract spreads: recent readings in the review range from 322 to about 650 milligrams per kilogram, below an estimate of about 1,500 from the 1960s.
- Chocolate: none of 48 cocoa products reached 35 milligrams per kilogram in a study cited by the review, but the FDA label for one MAOI still lists “excessive amounts of chocolate and caffeine”. See our dark chocolate and caffeine guides.
- Fava bean pods: the FDA label for one MAOI lists “Broad bean pods (fava bean pods)”, and the review notes dopamine in the pods. See our fava beans guide.
Foods low in tyramine
The review describes fresh, unfermented foods that are handled hygienically and refrigerated as likely to have low or no biogenic amines. Examples from its data:
- Milk and yogurt: fresh milk had undetectable tyramine and 5 yogurt samples in one study had none, per the review, though the FDA label for one MAOI still lists yogurt among foods to avoid. See our milk and yogurt guides.
- Fresh cheeses: robiola, ricotta and mozzarella had undetectable tyramine in 6 samples cited by the review, and the same FDA label lists cottage cheese and cream cheese as allowed.
- Fresh produce and nuts: lettuce, onion, carrot and other common vegetables measured 12 milligrams per kilogram or less in one study cited by the review.
Why tyramine values vary so much
The review’s main point on food data is that tyramine varies widely within foods of the same category, so one number for cheese or soy sauce can mislead. It names the bacteria and starter cultures used, hygiene, storage temperature, ripening length, raw versus pasteurized milk and rind versus core. Two of the review’s three authors disclose financial ties to a company that holds a patent on a modified MAOI.
Tyramine and MAOI medicines: talk to your prescriber or pharmacist
MedlinePlus, the National Library of Medicine’s consumer health site, states for MAOI antidepressants: “You may experience a serious reaction if you eat foods that are high in tyramine” while on these medicines. MedlinePlus adds: “Your doctor or dietitian will tell you which foods you must avoid completely, and which foods you may eat in small amounts.”
The FDA-approved prescribing information for one MAOI antidepressant, posted on DailyMed, states that hypertensive crises “may also be caused by the ingestion of foods with a high concentration of tyramine or dopamine.” Its patient warning lists foods and beverages to avoid while taking the medicine “and for two weeks after discontinuing use,” including pickled herring, liver, dry sausage, broad bean pods, sauerkraut, most cheeses, yogurt, beer and wine, yeast extract and meat extract, and the label describes a reaction “characterized by headache and other serious symptoms due to a rise in blood pressure.”
The review notes that food requirements differ between medicines in the MAOI class. This guide gives no medication advice: anyone prescribed an MAOI, or about to start or stop one, should ask the prescriber or pharmacist which foods apply. Tyramine is a different compound from histamine, though the review notes that foods that build up tyramine may also be high in histamine; our low-histamine eating guide covers histamine, and the sister guide on low purine foods uses a similar table of laboratory values.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which foods are highest in tyramine?
In the 2022 review, the highest values came from some blue, acid-curd and other ripened cheeses, fermented sausages, soybean pastes, soy sauces, sauerkraut, beer on tap and yeast extract spreads, though each of these groups also had low samples.
Does cooking remove tyramine?
No. The review describes tyramine as heat stable, so cooking does not destroy it.
Why is tyramine missing from USDA nutrient tables?
USDA SR Legacy does not report it. It lists tyrosine, the amino acid tyramine is made from, so tyramine values come from laboratory studies such as those in the 2022 review.
Is bottled beer lower in tyramine than beer on tap?
In one study summarized by the review, bottled and canned beers ranged from 0 to 3.16 milligrams per liter, while the four highest samples were tap lagers. The FDA label for one MAOI still lists beer among beverages to avoid.
Which foods should someone on an MAOI skip?
Ask the prescriber or pharmacist. MedlinePlus says your doctor or dietitian will tell you which foods to avoid completely and which you may eat in small amounts.
Questions about a label? Contact us or read our Buyer’s Guide. Food comes first; follow the label and ask a healthcare provider before starting a supplement, especially if you take medicines or are pregnant. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Last reviewed October 2026.
Related guides: Low Purine Foods: Purine Content of Common Foods in a Table, Fermented Foods: List, Benefits and Live vs Pasteurized, Blue Cheese: Mold, USDA Values and Is It Healthy?, Salami: How It Is Made, Nutrition, Sodium and Food Safety.