Meat Histamine Information

Eating meat, especially if it has been processed, is known to increase histamine levels. Fresh meat usually contains minimal or no histamine. However, as meat is stored or processed, histamine is produced by bacteria-containing enzymes that convert the amino acid histidine into histamine. As a result, smoked meat products such as ham and salami can significantly raise histamine levels(Robert Rustemeyer, 2012, "Histamine and histamine intolerance," The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition). Histamine-liberating products are foods that can stimulate the release of histamine from immune cells in our bodies, even though they may not contain much histamine themselves. Cocoa products, certain types of fruits (including strawberries, plums, citrus fruits, pineapple, kiwi), mushrooms, walnuts and hazelnuts, and invertebrate seafood such as mussels and squid, all fall under this category(Joneja JV, “Food Allergy Guide: Allergies Such as Histamine Intolerance” 2016). Nuts, specifically walnuts and hazelnuts, can be both histamine-rich and histamine liberators. These foods are considered to be high in histamine content and also capable of stimulating the release of histamine(Maintz L., Novak N., 2007, "Histamine and histamine intolerance," The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition). As for foods and substances that delay the breakdown of histamine, pineapple and papaya fall under this category. These fruits contain specific enzymes - bromelain and papain respectively, that are believed to inhibit the activity of diamine oxidase (DAO), the main enzyme that breaks down histamine in the body(Kacik J., 1967, "Inhibition of diamine oxidase activities by interaction of heavy metals with the enzyme," Enzymologia). Similarly, alcohol, nuts (including nutmeg), and green and black tea, energy drinks, and glutamate also inhibit DAO activity, potentially raising histamine levels. Regarding tomatoes and products containing tomatoes, they are considered high in histamine. However, the level of histamine may vary depending on the way the product has been processed and stored. While there is abundant information about the effects of many foods on histamine levels, for a few of the listed items; such as French champagne made from red grapes, long-ripened cheese, yogurt, and buttermilk, vinegar, and products containing vinegar, baked goods containing yeast, the data is limited. In such cases we state: "This product has not been researched well enough to publish any information, our team is working hard on this. Data will be available soon."