The histamine content of dried flying fish products in Taiwan and the isolation of halotolerant histamine-forming bacteria

Hsien-Feng Kung, Chun-Yung Huang, Chia-Min Lin, Lon-Hsiu Liaw, Yi-Chen Lee, Yung-Hsiang Tsai

Department of Seafood Science, National Kaohsiung Marine University, Kaohsiung City, Taiwan

Thirty dried flying fish products were purchased from fishing village stores in Taiwan and tested to detect the presence of histamine and histamine-forming bacteria. Except for histamine and cadaverine, the average content of various biogenic amines in the tested samples was less than 3.5 mg/100 g. Eight (26.6%) dried flying fish samples had histamine levels greater than the United States Food and Drug Administration guideline of 5 mg/100 g for scombroid fish and/or scombroid products, whereas four (13.3%) samples contained more than the hazard action level of 50 mg/100 g. One histamine-producing bacterial isolate was identified as Staphylococcus xylosus by 16S rDNA sequencing with polymerase chain reaction amplification. This isolate was capable of producing 507.8 ppm of histamine in trypticase soy broth supplemented with 1.0% l-histidine (TSBH). The S. xylosus isolate was a halotolerant bacterium that had a consistent ability to produce more than 300 ppm of histamine at 3% sodium chloride concentration in TSBH medium after 72 hours.

Keywords: dried flying fish, halotolerant histamine-forming bacteria, histamine, Staphylococcus xylosus