Be careful with fish at Christmas: what is histamine poisoning and how to prevent it

Among the typical Christmas foods in Spain are many fish and seafood, which are also very healthy options at a time when we can often commit excesses with food and drink. However, it must be remembered that they also carry some health risks that should be taken into account, as is the case of histamine poisoning.

This phenomenon constitutes one of the most frequent forms of food poisoning, and is also potentially serious. That is why it is essential to learn to distinguish the symptoms it produces and how to act against them, as well as knowing some basic precautions that can help us minimize the risk of suffering from them.

What is histamine poisoning?

First of all, many will be familiar with histamine, known for its relationship with allergic reactions. And in reality histamine is a substance that our body produces naturally and that has various functions, including regulation of local responses of the immune system (such as, precisely, allergies or hypersensitivity).

However, histamine is not only present in our body. It is also generated naturally from histidine, an amino acid that is part of fish proteins, through the intervention of some bacteria; When this happens, it can reach concentrations that are harmful to people. Once this process has taken place, histamine is not removed from fish (it is resistant to processes such as cooking or freezing).

According to the Spanish Agency for Food Safety and Nutrition, (AESAN), the main causes of histamine contamination are lack of hygiene during fish handling or breaking the cold chain. This is why it is very important be scrupulous with these two aspects: as we said, once the fish is contaminated, freezing does not eliminate the risk-

Another point to keep in mind is that not all fish species are subject to the same risk, since not all fish have the same histidine content. Those who have greater chance of triggering poisoning This class includes blue and fatty fish such as tuna, mackerel, bonito, sardines or anchovies.

Signs to detect risk and poisoning

Histamine contamination is difficult to detect in the fish itself, as it usually has a normal appearance, color and texture. However, yes they could have a strange tasteso any anomaly in this sense should put us on alert.

After ingestion, the first symptoms of poisoning appear between a few minutes and a couple of hours after ingestion. They are similar to those produced an allergic reactionand may include some such as:

Itching or burning sensation in the tongue and throat.

Flavor reminiscent of pepper in the mouth.

Redness and swelling in the face and neck.

Itchy skin rash (hives), located especially on the upper part of the body (palms of the hands, face, head and ears).

Headache and dizziness.

Most of the time, we are dealing with mild symptoms that They subside within a few hours. However, if the signs persist or worsen, we should seek urgent health care, as they can cause serious complications.

On the other hand, it must be noted that there are people who suffer from histamine intolerancea condition that prevents it from being metabolized normally. These could experience similar symptoms with fish that contain normal amounts of histamine or even with other foods that also contain it but in minimal concentrations that are not harmful to other people.

Keys to prevent histamine poisoning

It is possible significantly reduce the risk of poisoning by histamine taking some simple precautions, mainly aimed at hygiene in the conservation and handling of fish.

For example, when shopping we should try to purchase fish last, use insulated bags to maintain the cold chain and Ask the fishmonger to gut the fish.

Similarly, when we get home we should gut the fish first (if it has not been done at the fishmonger) and, if the fish is fresh, refrigerate it (below four degrees) or freeze it (below -18º) immediately. When we are going to consume it, avoid defrosting the fish at room temperature, opting instead to do so in the coldest part of the refrigerator.

Cooked fish is still susceptible to contamination by histamineso it should be stored immediately in the refrigerator or freezer. Uneaten canned fish should also be refrigerated in closed containers.

Whenever we handle fish, whether raw or cooked, it is essential to pay attention to good hygiene practices such as hand washing and cleaning the utensils and surfaces used.

References

AESAN (2023). No histamine, thanks – How to avoid histamine poisoning from eating fish at home. Consulted online at on December 9, 2023.

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