Le risque histamine dans les produits de la pêche

Histamine risk in fishery products. Histamine poisoning is the first cause of fish-related foodborne infection in France. It is thermostable and is produced at positive temperatures in a wide variety of pelagic fish (tuna, swordfish, mackerel, sardine, herring, or anchovy) by decarboxylation of free histidine under the action of a bacterial enzyme, histidine decarboxylase (HDC). The implementation of hygiene measures helps limit bacterial contamination after fish capture, and thus reduces the risks of contamination by histidine decarboxylase producing bacteria. The cold chain also plays an essential role to reduce the production of histamine, or even inhibit it in the case of frozen fish.