Brined Olives Histamine Information

Brined olives, being a fermented food, are often included in lists of high-histamine foods, as fermentation can trigger histamine production. However, counter-intuitively, the specific impact of olives on histamine levels is not thoroughly researched (1). The brining process involves salt, water, and sometimes vinegar. Salt does not fall under any of the categories (Histamine-high food, histamine liberators, and histamine breakdown inhibitors). The impact of water on histamine levels is not relevant in this context. Vinegar, however, is known to be high in histamine, which would suggest that olives brined in a vinegar solution might contribute to increased histamine levels (2). Despite the limited direct research on olives and histamine, one study on the Mediterranean diet, which includes olives as a staple, reported that this diet may lower inflammation and allergic reactions, which suggests a moderating effect on histamine (3). However, it’s worth noting that the diet includes various other ingredients that could influence the results. Therefore, due to a lack of direct research, it is difficult to provide a definitive answer about the impact of eating brined olives on histamine levels. References: 1. Maintz, L., Novak, N. Histamine and histamine intolerance. Am J Clin Nutr 85, 1185–1196 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/85.5.1185 2. EFSA Panel on Biological Hazards (BIOHAZ) (2011). Scientific Opinion on risk based control of biogenic amine formation in fermented foods. EFSA Journal, 9(10), 2393. https://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/efsajournal/pub/2393 3. Baroni, L., et al (2018). Evaluation of the environmental impact of weekly food consumption in different European countries. Public Health Nutrition, 22(5), 870–879. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1368980018001919