Histamine in Fish and Fish Products and its Relation to Bacteria

Abstract

Two hundred of fish represented fifty each of (fresh sardine, frozen fish, smoked fish and salted sardine) were collected from different markets and shops in Cairo and Giza governorates. Obtained results revealed that sensory examinations showed agreeable appearance and pH, sodium chloride, moisture content in most samples. The examined salted samples had higher total volatile basic nitrogen and histamine content while the lowest mean value was in fi-ozen fish. The examined fresh fish samples had higher mean value of different bacterial counts than those of fi-ozen, smoked and salted fish samples gave the lowest mean value of the previous mentioned counts. V. parahaemolylicus and Salmonella can not be isolated in this study. The public health significance of isolated microorganisms, histamine content, the ability of the bacterial isolates to produce histamine were discussed. Moreover, the effect of application of potassium sorbate 0.5% and l% concentration with sodium chloride mixture in processing salted sardines qud 1% concentration potassium sorbate with sodium chloride mixture in smoked herring. Sensory chemical and bacterial counts were discussed. Potassium sorbate at 1% give the best results.