Foie Gras Histamine Information

Foie Gras, a culinary delicacy made from the fattened liver of ducks or geese, does not directly contain high levels of histamine. However, certain factors related to its preparation and consumption may contribute to histamine production and release. The cooking method applied to Foie Gras could influence histamine levels in the body. Overcooked or charred foods tend to contain higher levels of histamine, potentially leading to an aggravated response in individuals with histamine intolerance. This has been discussed in general on several platforms focusing on histamines in cooked foods (1). It's also worth noting that Foie Gras is often enjoyed with a glass of fine red wine, a confirmed high histamine food (2). On its own, the Foie Gras might not pose a high histamine risk, but combined with wine, a response may be triggered. Since Foie Gras is a rich source of protein, its degradation could lead to histamine formation due to bacterial decarboxylation of histidine, the amino acid precursor of histamine, especially when the product is improperly stored or uses low-quality ingredients (3). Despite these potential risk factors, it is important to note that the impact of Foie Gras on histamine level is not firmly established in the scientific literature yet and further research is needed in this aspect. Our team is working hard on this. References: 1. Maintz L, Novak N. Histamine and histamine intolerance. The American journal of clinical nutrition. 2007 May 1;85(5):1185-96. https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/85/5/1185/4633007 2. Wantke F, Gotz M, Jarisch R. Histamine-free diet: treatment of choice for histamine-induced food intolerance and supporting treatment for chronical headaches. Clin Exp Allergy. 1993 Dec;23(12):982-5. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10779253/ 3. Koeth RA, Lam-Galvez BR, Kirsop J, Wang Z, Levison BS, Gu X, Copeland MF, Bartlett D, Cody DB, Dai HJ, Culley MK. l-Carnitine in omnivorous diets induces an atherogenic gut microbial pathway in humans. Journal of Clinical Investigation. 2019 Jan 2;129(1):373-87. https://www.jci.org/articles/view/123013