High-throughput histamine analysis approach in an official control laboratory: analytical methods and four years fish products results

Abstract

A highly practical two-tier approach involving a screening and a confirmatory method was set up to efficiently test histamine in fish products in the frame of official controls. After their validation, the routine management of the two procedures was simplified as far as possible ensuring a strict quality data control and maximizing the cost-effectiveness. Accordingly five hundred and ninety batches of fish products (3129 determinations) sampled from the Italian authorities were successfully analyzed over a four year period (2008-2012). Only a small percentage of analysed batches (4.9%) was judged non-compliant. The examination of irregular cases (fish species, processing technology and storage practices) suggests important considerations in order to minimise the histamine risk for consumers.

Keywords: Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; High-performance liquid chromatography coupled to diode array detection; Histamine; Official control; Scombroid poisoning.