Histamine spoilage

However, there may be a type of poisoning that does not arise from high levels of histamine, therefore a low histamine level may not be an absolute assurance of product safety. It may be more appropriate to state that the absence of decomposition in the fish renders it a safe product. As such, a safe product would have no evidence of spoilage, including odors of decomposition, high histamine levels, or other amines, e.g. cadaverine. 

Okuzumi et al. (1990) investigated the relationship between microflora on horse mackerel (Trachurus japonicus) and the dominant spoilage bacteria. The results of their study showed that Pseudomonas I/II, Pseudomonas III/IV-NH, Vibrio, and Photobacterium were dominant when high levels of putrescine, cadaverine, and histamine were detected. 

Vidal-Carou, M.C., Izquierdo-Pulido, M.L., Martin-Morro, M. and Marine-Font, A. (1990). Histamine and tyramine in meat products relationship with meat spoilage, Food Chem., 37, 239. 

The existence of potentiators could dramatically influence the threshold toxic dose for histamine in foods. Since different fish might be expected to vary in the type and amount of the various potentiators, the threshold toxic dose for histamine would be expected to vary from fish to fish also. The differences in type and amount of the potentiators would be predicted from expected differences in the types of microflora, the metabolic capabilities of the microflora, and conditions of spoilage. Even greater differences would be expected in the comparisons of different species of fish or in comparisons of fish and cheese. Consequently, although the health hazard associated with ingestion of tuna containing 50 mg histamine per 100 g is established, the hazard associated with 50 mg histamine/100 g in other fish and cheese remains to be determined. 

Decomposition of tuna and other scombroid marine fish (albacore, bonito, mackerel, sardines, etc.) is usually characterized by the formation of high levels of histamine (1- ) > sometimes in excess of 5 mg per g of loin tissue. Since fresh tuna has essentially no free histamine (j4- ), the presence of histamine is considered to be an indication of decomposition (8-10), Histamine is particularly suitable as an indicator of prior spoilage in canned tuna ( 2, 11-13)... 

Identification of Spoilage Microflora Table I lists the bacteria recovered from decomposed skipjack tuna after incubation for 24 h at 38°C. Eighteen of the 134 bacteria isolated were histamine formers, and these strains consisted of obligate and facultative anaerobes. 

The previously mentioned types of fish contain free histidine in their musculature. During spoilage, bacteria on the surface of the fish enzymatically convert histidine to histamine and saurine, which are responsible for the symptoms. The Food and Drug Administration considers levels of histamine >50 mg per 100 g of fish potentially toxic. 

Keow CM et al (2007) An amperometric biosensor for the rapid assessment of histamine level in tiger prawn (Penaeus monodon) spoilage. Food Chem 105(4) 1636-1641... 

Vidal-Carou, M.C., R. Codony-Salcedo, and A. Marine-Font. 1991. Changes in the concentration of histamine and tyramine during wine spoilage at various temperatures. Am.J. Enol Vitic. 42 145-149. 

These microorganisms generate a wide array of compounds that contribute to whole fish spoilage and produce many off-odor and off-flavor compounds such as biogenic amines (putrescine, cadaverine, and histamine), hydroxylamine, ketones, aldehydes, alcohols, and organic acids that are essentially absent or only occur at very low levels in fresh fish (Ghaly et al., 2010). 

Scromboid poisoning-Spoilage bacteria from improperly preserved fish produce histamine and other toxic by-products that can induce a toxic response when eating this fish. 

In a different approach, three enzyme-based amperometric biosensors for biogenic amines were apphed for meat spoilage monitoring.The enzyme diamine oxidase (EC 1.4.3.6) was used to mmiitor the total biogenic amine content (cadav-erine, histamine, tyramine, hyptamine, phenylethylamine and spermidine) while Monoamine oxidase A (EC 1.4.3.4) was used for determination of tyramine. 

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