Crab Cakes Histamine Information

Crab cakes are primarily composed of crab meat, breadcrumbs, mayonnaise, eggs, and various seasonings. Many of these ingredients interact with histamine levels in the body in various ways. Starting with the main ingredient, crab, it belongs to a category known as shellfish, which does not inherently contain high levels of histamine. However, improper storage or overly long storage of seafood can cause histamine levels to rise. Proper storage and fresh consumption are key to inhibit histamine production (Aksu & Kaya, 2019). Breadcrumbs used in crab cakes are usually derived from yeast-containing baked goods. Baked goods containing yeast belong to foods with a high histamine content. As yeast ferments, it can produce histamine as a byproduct, which raises the histamine content (Maintz & Novak, 2007). The use of eggs in crab cake recipes can vary widely. But, in general, eggs are considered to be low in histamine and are not known to significantly impact histamine levels or liberate histamine (Schnedl et al., 2018). Mayonnaise, another key component of crab cakes, is primarily composed of eggs and vinegar. Vinegar, especially when age-fermented, can have high histamine levels. However, commercially available mayonnaise typically uses distilled vinegar which has lower histamine content than traditionally fermented ones (Sattler et al., 1988). To conclude, while the crab cake's ingredients' impact on histamine levels can differ, in general, the fresher the ingredients and the quicker the consumption post-cooking, the lower the histamine levels are likely to be. Care should particularly be taken in the handling and storage of seafood and baked goods with yeast. The various ingredients used for flavoring such as vegetables, spices, or other additives can also have an impact on histamine levels and would have to be reviewed individually based on each specific recipe. References: Aksu, F., & Kaya, M. (2019). Histamine and Other Biogenic Amines in Food Poisoning. Food Health, pp.91-110. Maintz, L., & Novak, N. (2007). Histamine and histamine intolerance. Am J Clin Nutr, 85(5), 1185-1196. Sattler, J., Häfner, D., Klotter, H. J., Lorenz, W., & Wagner, P. K. (1988). Food-induced histaminosis as an epidemiological problem: plasma histamine elevation and haemodynamic alterations after oral histamine administration and blockade of diamine oxidase (DAO). Agents and actions, 23(3-4), 361-365. Schnedl, W. J., Lackner, S., Enko, D., Schenk, M., Holasek, S. J., & Mangge, H. (2018). Evaluation of symptoms and symptom combinations in histamine intolerance. Intest Res, 17(3), 427-433.