Fifty strains of Staph. xylosus, isolated from artisanal fermented sausages in Southern Italy (Lucania region) were tested to verify their potential to produce or degrade biogenic amines. Twenty-six strains analysed were not able to form amines, but seven had the potential to produce spermine and/or spermidine and, at lower levels, tryptamine and tyramine. By contrast, about 80% of the strains that did not possess amino acid decarboxylase activity, exhibited an ability to degrade histamine. The greatest histamine-oxidase activity was present in the strains S81 (100% degradation), S206 (93%), S79 (68%) and S90 (53%). The strain S142 exhibited a remarkably high potential to oxidase tyramine and histamine, reducing the initial concentrations by 63 and 47%, respectively