Histamine fish poisoning

Histamine fish poisoning is a foodborne illness caused by eating fish in which bacteria have converted histidine into histamine during inadequate chilling. The toxin is heat-stable, so cooking does not reliably prevent illness.

Histidine decarboxylase: An enzyme that removes a carboxyl group from histidine, producing histamine. Fish-associated bacteria use this enzyme to form the histamine responsible for poisoning.
Scombridae: A family of fast-swimming marine fish that includes tunas and mackerels. Many commonly implicated fish belong to this family and contain histidine-rich flesh.
IgE-mediated food allergy: An immune reaction in which immunoglobulin E antibodies respond to a food protein. Unlike fish allergy, poisoning can affect anyone who eats a sufficiently contaminated portion.
Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points: A preventive food-safety system that identifies hazards and controls them at critical steps. HACCP plans use time and temperature controls to prevent histamine accumulation.
Histidine: An essential amino acid that serves as a precursor to histamine. Its abundance in certain fish gives histamine-producing bacteria abundant starting material.
Tuna: A group of large, fast-swimming marine fish in the tribe Thunnini. Tuna is a frequently implicated fish when chilling fails.
Ciguatera fish poisoning: A foodborne illness caused by ciguatoxins accumulated in tropical reef fish. It also follows fish consumption, but its toxin source and characteristic symptoms differ.
Histamine test: An analytical method for measuring histamine concentration in food or biological samples. Testing suspect fish can confirm contamination and support food-safety decisions.
Morganella morganii: A bacterium capable of producing histamine in some foods, including fish. It is one of the bacteria associated with histamine formation in mishandled fish.
Mackerel: A common name for several species of oily marine fish, including members of the Scombridae family. Mackerel is another classic source of histamine fish poisoning.

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