engleski

Long-term follow-up of the histamine levels in a stored fish meal sample

A shipment of fish meal highly contaminated with histamine caused an epidemic histamine poisoning among harbour workers in Rijeka, Croatia, in 1998. Samples of fish-meal were taken, histamine level determined, and samples were then stored in closed plastic bags at 4-8°C for the enxt 40 months. Follow-up of the histamine levels was performed by thin-layer chromatography (TLC) after 12, 28 and 40 months of storage. Initial histamine level was 510 mg of histamine in 100 g of fish meal (100%). After 12 months histamine level decreased to 73.5% (375 mg/100g), remained at 71.6% after 28 months (365mg/100g), and decreased again after 40 months of storage to 49.0% (250 mg/100g). After 40 months of storage in a refrigerator, samples were kept at the room temperature (24°C) in the closed transparent plastic bags, exposed to natural daily light for additional 3 months. TLC histamine measurements were performed at day 1 and 7, and than after 1, 2 and 3 months of storage. Levels of histamine did not differ significantly from the starting level of 250 mg/100g (100%) at day1 and 7, and also after 1, 2, and 3 months of storage at 24°C (250, 230, 220, 220, 220 mg/100g, respectively). This study confirmed the long-term persistence of histamine in contaminated fish-meal. Histamine was present at the highly toxic level (>200 mg/100g) for more than 3 years if stored at 4-8°C, and for at least 3 months if kept at amient temperature (24°C) unprotected from light. The results confirmed our previous hypothesis that fish-meal with high content of histamine is a potential long-term health hazard for men manipulating it and also for poultry and other animals if used as an additive in feed.

fish-meal; histamine; storage temperature; thin-layer chromatography

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