Barbecue Chicken Histamine Information

Barbecue Chicken, a popular food worldwide, primarily consists of chicken, barbecue sauce, and various seasonings. Here, we focus on its impact on histamine levels or its function as a histamine liberator. Chicken, the main ingredient, generally, is well tolerated by people with histamine intolerance. It has low histamine content if the chicken is fresh and cooked properly at home (1). However, if the chicken is processed, leftovers, or not prepared and stored properly, it could contain higher histamine levels (2). The other pivotal part of Barbecue Chicken is the barbecue sauce. Many barbecue sauces contain ingredients like vinegar, tomatoes, and some additives, which are known to have high histamine content (3). Vinegar and products containing vinegar can increase histamine levels (4). Tomato products are also high in histamine (5). Certain additives used in these sauces could act as histamine liberators (6). Regarding seasonings, black or green tea leaves are sometimes used. These can hinder histamine breakdown (7). Occasionally, nuts are also used for the crunchy coating, which are known as agents delaying histamine breakdown (8). Contrarily, some ingredients used in preparation such as fresh herbs and certain spices may contribute to lowering histamine levels (9). From this analysis, it is clear that while the chicken ingredient itself may not be a problem for histamine levels, the associated ingredients in the barbecue sauce and other additions may increase histamine levels or act as histamine liberators. However, to reach a conclusive perspective, more specific study on the impact of Barbecue Chicken on histamine levels is necessary. References: 1. Maintz, L., Novak, N. (2007). Histamine and histamine intolerance. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 85(5): 1185–1196. 2. Kovacova-Hanuskova, E., Buday, T., Gavliakova, S., Plevkova, J. (2015). Histamine, histamine intoxication and intolerance. Allergologia et immunopathologia, 43(5): 498–506. 3. Joneja, J. V. (2016). A Comprehensive Beginner’s Guide to Histamine Intolerance. The Histamine Pirate. 4. Joneja, J. V. (2016). Histamine and Tyramine Restricted Diet for Mast Cell Disorders. Mastocytosis Society Canada. 5. Vaidehi, M., Shobana, D., Padma, M. (2019). Comprehensive Review on Histamine Intolerance and Natural Antihistamines. International Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences Review and Research, 54(31): 137-143. 6. Schnedl, W. J., Lackner, S., Enko, D., Schenk, M., Holasek, S. J., Mangge, H. (2019). Evaluation of symptoms and symptom combinations in histamine intolerance (HIT), Intolerances, 2 (3): 48-54. 7. Schnedl, W. J., Lackner, S., Enko, D., Schenk, M., Mangge, H., Forster, F. (2019). Non-responsive intolerance: Allergy, eosinophilic esophagitis, and the pathway to helminthic therapy. Allergology International. 8. Dölle, S., Führer, D., Jaehde, U., Elsenhans, B., Forssmann, K. (2019). Histamine Intolerance (HIT)–A Genetically Determined Dysbiosis of the Human Microbiota. Biopsychosocial Medicine, 13(1). 9. San Mauro Martin, I., Blumenfeld Olivares, J. A., Garicano Vilar, E., Echeverría Díaz, P. & Castejón-Pita, M. (2020). Histamine Intolerance and Dietary Management: A Complete Review. Allergologia et Immunopathologia, 48(5): 442-451.