Frogs' Legs Histamine Information

Frogs' legs are a delicacy predominantly consumed in French and Chinese cuisines. Originating from amphibians, it's necessary to examine their nutritional content and potential for interaction with the histamine system. Regarding histamines, frogs' legs do not show up commonly in high histamine food lists [1]. The item itself is not a known histamine-rich food product like fermented foods, certain types of fish, or aging cheese. However, how frogs' legs are prepared could potentially influence histamine levels, for example, if they are marinated in vinegar or seasoned with glutamate. The histamine liberators list features invertebrate seafood, but frogs—as vertebrates—don't fall under this category. Consequently, unless the frogs' legs are served with specific liberating ingredients such as strawberries, citrus fruits, or additives, there's no evidence to infer that they could stimulate histamine release. Simultaneously, there isn't any prevalent information signifying that frogs' legs could curtail histamine levels. The known food items that can lower histamine are fresh meat, fish, fruits, and vegetables - specifically those rich in Vitamin C and quercetin [2]. Frog’s legs - as isolated dietary elements— don't fall under these categories. However, before we definitively link frogs' legs to histamine, we must remember: food processing, freshness, and individual sensitivities can alter these factors. Frogs' legs if not fresh, could accumulate biogenic amines like histamine due to microbial activity [3]. Furthermore, as frogs' legs are a less common food for many, individual sensitivity could also play a role in histamine reaction, which could differ from person to person [4]. To summarize, frogs' legs on their own do not empirically contribute to high histamine levels, act as histamine liberators, or lower histamine levels. Nonetheless, how they are prepared, the freshness of the food, and individual sensitivity could potentially influence their histamine interaction. References: [1] Maintz, L., & Novak, N. (2007). Histamine and histamine intolerance. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF CLINICAL NUTRITION, 2007, VOL. 85, NO. 5, 1185--1196. [2] Jabri, M. A., & Rtibi, K. (2020). Role of gastrointestinal hormones in feeding behavior and obesity pathogeny. Archives de l'Institut Pasteur de Tunis. 2020, VOL. 73, 99-105. [3] Maintz, L., & Novak, N. (2007). Histamine and histamine intolerance. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF CLINICAL NUTRITION, 2007, VOL. 85, NO. 5, 1185--1196. [4] Reese, I., Ballmer-Weber, B., Beyer, K., Fuchs, T., Kleine-Tebbe, J., Klimek, L., Lepp, U., Niggemann, B., Saloga, J., Schäfer, C., Werfel, T., Zuberbier, T., Worm, M., German Society for Allergology and Clinical Immunology (DGAKI). (2017). German guideline for the management of adverse reactions to ingested histamine: Guideline of the German Society for Allergology and Clinical Immunology (DGAKI), the German Society for Pediatric Allergology and Environmental Medicine (GPA), the German Association of Allergologists (AeDA), and the Swiss Society for Allergology and Immunology (SGAI). Allergo Journal International 2017, VOL. 26, 72–79.