Histamine in food

Histamine is a diamine, and probably the best known vasoactive amine responsible for pharmacologic reactions to food.

It is a blood vessel dilator, and the consumption of excessive quantities can produce allergic-type poisoning symptoms.

Histamine may be found in plant derived food and in food produced with help of microorganisms.

The food generally thought to contain more histamine include three specific types of cheese (Parmesan, blue cheese, Roquefort), red wine, spinach, aubergines, yeast extract and scombroid fish.

The histamine produced in fish flesh by decarboxylation of free histidine, which is naturally present at high levels in species of fish implicated in scombroid fish poisoning.

Foods containing unusually high level of histamine may not be appear to be spoiled. Foods with histamine concentration exceeding 50 mg per 100 g of food generally are considered to be hazardous.

Histamine is great resistant and cannot be destroyed either by cooking or by microwave treatment and freezing.

The primary treatment for histamine poisoning is the administration of anti histamine. The risk of histamine poisoning can be diminished by limiting consumption of certain types of raw fish such as tuna.
Histamine in food