Fish Stew Histamine Information

Fish stew, by nature of its ingredients, can significantly impact histamine levels. Especially for individuals with histamine intolerance, the careful selection of ingredients is necessary. Fish itself, depending on how it is prepared and stored, can contain high levels of histamine. Some processed fish products like smoked fish and canned fish are particularly high in histamine (1). Fresh fish generally has lower histamine levels than processed fish, however, due to the heating process in cooking the fish for the stew, histamine levels can increase. Ingredients commonly used in fish stews such as tomatoes, also contribute to high histamine levels. Tomatoes and products containing tomatoes like sauces used to give the stew its base contain high histamine levels (2). If any sort of vinegar is used in the preparation of the stew, it would further increase histamine levels as vinegar and products containing vinegar have been reported to contain high histamine (3). Regarding histamine liberators, fish stew can contain ingredients that stimulate the release of histamine into the bloodstream. For example, citrus fruits, often used to give the stew a tangy flavor can have this effect (4). However, some ingredients in fish stews could potentially help lower histamine levels. Many recipes call for the use of green leafy vegetables, potatoes, or carrots, which have not been associated with raising histamine levels or liberating histamine (5). In conclusion, it is not just the consumption of the fish stew that can impact histamine levels but the individual ingredients used in its preparation. Thus, one must pay close attention to the ingredients used and the manner in which the fish is prepared and cooked to manage the histamine levels. Those who experience histamine intolerance or adverse reactions should opt for fresh fish and limit the use of high histamine and histamine liberator ingredients to still be able to enjoy fish stew. References: (1) Maintz, L., & Novak, N. (July 2007). Histamine and histamine intolerance. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Volume 85, Issue 5, Pages 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) Comas-Basté, O., Latorre-Moratalla, M IBS., et al. (2020). Histamine intolerance: the current state of the art. Biomolecules, 10(8), 1181. (4) Maintz, L., & Novak, N. (July 2007). Histamine and histamine intolerance. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Volume 85, Issue 5, Pages 1185–1196 (5) Reese, I., Ballmer-Weber, B., Beyer, K., Fuchs, T., Kleine-Tebbe, J., Klimek, L., ... & Werfel, T. (2017). German guideline for the management of adverse reactions to ingested histamine. Allergo Journal International, 26(2), 72-79.