Histamine

Description and health risks:

Symptoms associated with Histamine food poisoning appear within 30 minutes to a few hours after ingestion of the offending food, some in the form of an acute allergic reaction. Typical symptoms include flushing, facial swelling, headaches, a feeling of warmth and malaise, often accompanied by gastrointestinal problems. As histamine is not eliminated by cooking, it is very important to keep fresh fish refrigerated (0-4°C) to reduce its formation as much as possible.

People who have consumed a contaminated product and are experiencing symptoms should seek medical advice and disclose their exposure. Symptoms may vary from person to person and may vary in severity depending on the extent of infection.

What foods are concerned?

Foods likely to be contaminated with histamine include mainly fish (tuna, mackerel, sardines, herring, anchovies, dolphinfish, garfish and garfish). Other foods at risk are salted anchovy products, fish sauces, long-aged cheeses (Roquefort, Cheddar, Gouda), fermented vegetables (such as sauerkraut), and fermented sausages.