Professional Documents
Culture Documents
SUMMARY
1. Definition of Histamine
2- Histamine Formation
The most important factor affecting the formation of histamine amount in fish
end other food products is the histidine amount present in these foodstuffs. The
optimum temperature and pH values for histamine formation differ from species to
species. Optimum temperature interval is between 20-30ºC. The most number of
poisoning events are seen in tuna, mackerel and sardine which are rich in
histidine (Wu et al. 1997; Chamberlain 2001). On the other hand, optimum pH
value is varying even in different species of the same bacteria. That means;
while type I of Proteus morgani is producing more histamine at pH:6, there is
nearly no histamine at pH:7. At type II, histamine is produced highly at pH:6,
while production can occur even at higher or lower pH values (Chamberlain 2001).
Generally histamine forms in red meat (dark meat) such as anchovy, mackerel,
salmon, and tuna fish and/or fat fishes. In white meats such as whiting and
turbot no histidine is present; therefore no histamine formation occurs in these
fishes no matter how bad the storing conditions are (Köse 1993). Other type of
fishes where histamine poisoning is widely seen are; tuna (Euthynnus pelamis),
yellow tail (Seriola dumerili), kahawai, bonito, mahi mahi (Coryphaena
hippurus), marlin (Makaira indica) and bluefish (Pomatomus saltatrix) (Mitchell
1993; Ben-Gigirey 1999; Lehane and Olley 2000; Chamberlain 2001).
Plahar et al. (1999), has determined the level of histamine with calorimetric
technique in raw, smoked and 6 months stored sardine and anchovy samples. Raw,
smoked and 6 months stored sardine contained sequentially 1.1 mg/100 g, 1.8
mg/100 g and 1.5 mg/100 g histamine while in anchovy samples, no histamine was
found.
Zotos et al. (1995), have applied warm smoking method to frozen and stored
mackerel (Scomber scombrus) and observed the level of histamine. In samples only
frozen and stored, histamine increment was observed and after 22 weeks,
histamine amount reached to 50 mg/kg. It was found that because of smoking
application, 95% histamine increment occurred in samples stored for 11 and 33
weeks.
In a study made in New Zealand, histamine level of 107 smoked fishes purchased
from a market was determined and found that 8 of them had more than 5 mg/100 g,
2 of them had more than 20 mg/100 g. In another test, 4 of 91 samples had more
than 10 mg/100 g of histamine while 2 of them had 100 mg/100 g or more (Fletcher
et al. 1998).
Despite FDA accepts histamine amount limit in fishes as 50 mg/100 g, generally
30 mg/100 g limit is used. Fishes having more than 50 mg/100 g histamine are
restricted to be consumed by the law published at 1996 (FDA 1996).
Not only histamine is the responsible amine for histamine poisoning. Other
biogenic amines too (putresine, kadaverine, spermine, tiramine, and spermidine)
show strong histamine toxicity (Santos 1996; Ben-Gigerey 1999).
The first finding of histamine poisoning was made by Japanese scientists and
since the 50's, histamine poisoning events are being recorded. In other
countries, the first record for this disease was made during the 70's. (Köse
1999). After Japan, first USA then England are among the countries where the
disease was most reported. Besides these countries, Canada, New Zealand, France,
Germany, Norway, Sweden, Netherlands, Austria are nations where reports come
less frequently about that disease (Mater vd. 2001).
4164 histamine poisoning cases have been reported between 1970 and 1980 by Japan
Ministry of Healthcare (Köse 1999).
Hughes et al. (1977), declared that 29 of 68 fish and crustacean poisonings
encountered between 1970 and 1974, was histamine poisoning. Bartholomev et al.
(1987), has recognized 250 histamine poisoning from 1976 to 1986 in Britain.
SOURCES :
Ababouch, L., Afilal, M.E., Benabdeljelil, H., Busta, F.F., Quantitative changes
in bacteria, amino acids and biogenic amines in sardine (Sardina pilchardus)
stored at ambient temperature (25-28ºC) and ice. Int. J. Food Sci. Tech. 26:
297-306 (1991).
An, H., Lee, H., Jun, S.H., Kim, S.H., Histamine formation in fermented seafood
products. Dept. Nutrition & Food Sci. Auburn Uni. Alabama. (1996).
AOAC,Fish and other marine products. Official Methods of Analysis. Vol. 2, Ch.
35. p. 16-17. Assoc. Official Anal. Chemists, Arlington, VA. (1995).
Bartholomev, B.A., Berry, P.R., Rodhouse, J.C., Gilhouse, R.J., Scombrotoxic
fish poisoning in Britain: Features of over 250 suspected incidents from 1976 to
1986. Epidemiol. Infection 99: 775-782 (1987).
Ben-Gigirey, B., Vieites Baptisda de Sousa, J.M., Villa, T.G., Velazquez-Barros,
J., Histamine and cadaverine production by bacteria isolated from fresh and
frozen albacore (Thunnus alalunga). J. of Food Pro. 62 (8):933-939 (1999).
Chamberlain, T., Histamine levels in longlined tuna in Fiji: A comporison of
samples from two different body sites and effect of storage at different
temperatures. S.Pac. J.Nat. Sci. 19: 30-34 (2001).
Chen, K.T., Malison, M. D., Outbreak of scombroid fish poisoning, Thaiwan. Am.
J. Public Health 77: 1335-1336 (1987).
Clifford, M.N., Walker, R., Wright, J., Studies with volunteers on the role of
histamine in suspected Scombrotoxicosis. J. Sci. Food Agric. 47: 365-375 (1989).
Çaklý, Þ., Taþkaya, L., Su ürünlerinde biyojen aminler. Su Ürünleri Dergisi
Cilt: 12 (3-4): 375-387 (1995).
Çaklý, Þ., Kýþla, D., Su ürünlerinde mikrobiyal kökenli bozulmalar ve önleme
yöntemleri. Ege Üniv. 20, (1-2): 239-245 (2003).
Edmunds, W.J., Eitenmiller, R.R., Effect of storage time and temperature on
histamine content and histidine decarboxylase activity of aquatic species. J.
Food Sci. 40:516 (1975).
Fletcher, G.C., Summers, G., Veghel, P.W.C., Levels of histamine and
histamine-producing bacteria in smoked fish from New Zealand markets. J. of Food
Pro. 61: 1064-1070 (1998).
FDA, Proposed rules. Fed. Reg. 59 (19): 4149 (1994).
FDA, Decomposition and histamine in raw frozen tuna, and mahi-mahi, canned tuna;
and related species: Complince Policy Guides. 7108, 240, Sec. 540. 525 (1996).
Frank, H.A., Baranowski, J.D., Chongsiriwatana, M., Brust, P.A., Premaratne,
R.J., Identification and decarboxylase activities of bacteria isolated from
decomposed mahimahi (Coryphaena hippurus) after incubation at 0 and 32° C. Int.
J. Food Microbiol 2:331-340 (1985).
Hughes, J., Horwitz, M.A., Merson, M.H., Barker, W.H. Jr., Gangarosa, E.J.,
Foodborne disease ourbreaks of chemical etiology in the United States,
1970-1974, Am. J. Epidemiol. 105:233 (1977).
Hwang, D.F., Chang, S.H., Shýau, C.Y., Cheng, C.C., Biogenic amines in the flesh
of sailfish (Istiophorus platypterus) responsible for scombroid poisoning. J. of
Food Sci. 60 (5): 926-928 (1995).
Jay, J.M., Modern Food Microbiology. 4th edition, Chapman and Hall, New York
(1992).
Kaneko, J.J., Development of a HACCP-based strategy for the control of histamine
for the fresh tuna industry. Final report NOAA Award #NA86FD0067, PacMar,
Inc., Honolulu, Hawaii (2000).
Köse, S., Su ürünlerinden kaynaklanan histamin zehirlenmesi ve önemi. Doðu
Anadolu Bölgesi 2. Su Ürünleri Sempozyumu 14-16 Haziran. 1999-Erzurum. 503-
514(1999).
Lehane, L., Olley, J., Histamine fish poisoning revisited. Int. J. of Food Mic.
58:1-37 (2000).
Leuschner, R.G.K., Hammes, W.P., Formation of biogenic amine in mayonnaise,
herring and tuna fish salad by Lactobacilli. Int. J. Food Sci. Nut. 50:159-164
(1999).
Lopez-Sabater, E.I., Rodriquez-Jerez, J.J., Hernandez-Herrero, M., Mora-Ventura,
M.T., Evaluation of histidine decarboxylase activity of bacteria isolated from
sardine (Sardina pilchardus) by an enzymic method. Lett. Appl. Microbiol
19:70-75 (1994).
Lopez-Sabater, E.I., Rodriguez-Jerez, J.J., Hernandez-Herrero, M., Mora-Ventura,
M.T., Incidence of histamine-forming bacteria and histamine content in scombroid
fish species from retail markets in the Barcelona area. Int. J. Food Microbiol
28:411-418 (1996).
Mater, S., Bayhan, B., Atabey, Þ., Scombroid balýk zehirlenmesi. Ege Üniv. Su
Ürünleri Dergisi 18 (1-2): 293-299 (2001).
Middlebrooks, B.L., Toom, P.M., Douglas, W.L., Harrison, R.E., McDowell, S.,
Effects of storage time and temperature on the microflora and amine development
in Spanish mackerel (Scomberomorus maculatus). J. Food Sci. 53(4):1024-1029
(1988).
Mitchell, J., Scombrotoxic fish poisoning. Report for the Ministry of Health,
Wellington (1993).
Mlcnerney, J.M.D., Sahgal-Punnet, M.D., Vogel-Mitchell, M.D., Rahn-Elsa, M.D.,
Jones-Ernesto, MD., Scombroid poisoning annals of emergency medicine. 28:2,
235-238 (1996).
Morii, H., Cann, D.C., Taylor, L.Y., Murray, C.K., Formation of histamine by
luminous bacteria isolated from scombroid fish. Bull Japan Soc. Sci. Fish 52
(12): 2135-2141 (1986).
Murray, C. K., Hobbs, G., Scombrotoxin and scombrotoxin-like poisoining from
canned fish. J. Hyg. Camb. 88: 215-220 (1982).
Plahar , W.A., Nerquaye-Tetteh, G.A., Anan, N.T., Development of an Integrated
Quality Assurance System for the Traditional Sardinella sp. and Anchovy Fish
Smoking Industry in Ghana. Food Research Institue. Accra. Ghana. Food Control,
10:15-25 (1999).
Price, R.J., Why Seafood Spoils. California Sea Grant Extension Program,
Publication UCSGEP-89-3, University of California, Davis (1989).
ROCDH, Annual report of food poisoning in Thaiwan. pp. 16-17, Department of
Health, Republic of Chaina, Taipei, Taiwan (1988).
ROCDH, Annual report of food poisoning in Thaiwan. pp. 23-24, Department of
Health, Republic of Chaina, Taipei, Taiwan (1992).
Rodriquez-Jerez, J.J., Mora-Ventura, M.T., Lopez-Sabater, E.I.,
Hernandez-Herrero, M., Histidine, lysine and ornithine decarboxylase bacteria in
Spanish salted semi-preserved anchovies. J. Food Prot. 57(9): 784-791 (1994).
Santos, M.H.S., Biogenic amines: their importance in foods. Int. J. of Food Mic.
29; 213-231 (1996).
Shalaby, A.R., Significance of biogenic amines to food safety and human health.
Food Res. Int. 29: 675-690 (1996).
Taylor, S.L, Guthertz, L.S, Leatherwood, M., Tillman, F., Lieber, E.R.,
Histamine production by food-borne bacterial species. J. Food Safety 1:173-187
(1978).
Taylor, S.L, Guthertz, L.S, Leatherwood, M., Tillman, F., Lieber, E.R.,
Histamine production by Klebsiella pneumoniae and an incident of Scombroid fish
poisoning. Applied and Environmental Microbiol. 37 (2): 274-278 (1979).
Taylor, S.L, Lieber, E.R., In vitro inhibition of rat intestinal
histamine-metabolizing enzymes. Food Cosmet Toxicol 17: 237-240 (1979).
WHO, WHO Surveillance Programme for Control of Foodborne Infections and
Intoxications in Europe. Newsletter. WHO, Geneva, No: 22 (1989).
Wu, Ming-Ling, M.D., Yang, Cheng-Chang, M.D., Yang, Guang-Yang, M.D.,
Scombroid Fish Poisoning: An overlooked marine food poisoning. Veterinary and
Human Toxicology. 39(4): 236-241 (1997).
Zotos, A., Hole, M., and Smith, G., The Effect of Frozen Storage of Mackarel
(Scomber scombrus) on its Quality When Hot Smoked. Journal Science Food
Agriculture, 67: 43-48 (1995).