Meatball Sub Histamine Information

The impact of a meatball sub on histamine levels showcases a significant, complex interplay across a multitude of ingredients. Beginning with the primary ingredient, meat, particularly if it’s processed or preserved, contains varying histamine levels depending on processing, storage, and the freshness of the meat. According to a study published in the Journal of Food Science, the histamine content significantly increases in various meats during storage and maturation (1). Thus, non-fresh meats or those in meatballs form are most likely to have higher histamine content. The bread used for subs, typically a long bread roll or baguette, if made using yeast, bares implications on histamine levels as yeast is a histamine-releasing agent (2). However, if alternatives such as yeast-free bread are used, the impact on histamine levels could be drastically reduced. Add-ons like cheese and tomatoes, which are habitually added to meatball subs also factor into the histamine equation. Cheese, especially if well-aged or hard, is high in histamines (3), and tomatoes, including their products, release histamines (2). Condiments like ketchup and mayonnaise often contain vinegar, an ingredient high in histamines (2). Plus, the use of spices to flavor the sub, specifically, chili, garlic, or pepper can also increase histamine levels as certain spices are known histamine liberators (4). In conclusion, while the meatball sub itself might not have been specifically studied for its histamine implications, investigating its typical components demonstrates that multiple ingredients contribute to elevating histamine levels in the body. References: 1. Halász, A., Baráth, Á., Simon-Sarkadi, L., & Holzapfel, W. (1994). Biogenic amines and their production by microorganisms in food. Trends in Food Science & Technology, 5(2), 42-49. 2. Maintz, L., & Novak, N. (2007). Histamine and histamine intolerance. American journal of clinical nutrition, 85(5), 1185-1196. 3. Ladero, V., Calles-Enríquez, M., Fernández, M., & Alvarez, M. A. (2010). Toxicological effects of dietary biogenic amines. Current nutrition & food science, 6(2), 145-156. 4. Reese, I., Ballmer-Weber, B., Beyer, K., Fuchs, T., Kleine-Tebbe, J., Klimek, L., ... Zuberbier, T. (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, 26(2), 72-79.