Meunière Histamine Information

Meunière typically signifies elegant dishes of fish dredged in flour and fried in butter, garnished with brown butter, lemon, and parsley. The impact of eating Meunière on histamine levels can primarily be attributed to the core ingredient, which is usually fish. According to the Swiss Interest Group Histamine Intolerance (SIGHI), fresh fish contains negligible amounts of histamine, however, it begins to accumulate once the fish is caught. Upon death, bacteria convert the fish’s stored histidine into histamine, which then builds up, especially when the fish is not immediately chilled or processed. That said, the fresher the fish used in Meunière, the lower the histamine content is likely to be (1). Beyond the primary ingredient, Meunière also comprises butter, flour, lemon, and parsley. Butter and flour generally contain minimal histamine, whereas lemons, despite being a citrus fruit, contain a low amount of histamine. Parsley, on the other hand, is often indicated to have moderate to high histamine content according to SIGHI’s list of food compatibility (2). It's important to note, while some foods are considered low in histamine, they can act as “histamine liberators.” In the case of Meunière, none of the ingredients seem to fall into this category. To summarize, eating Meunière has the potential to impact histamine levels, mainly contingent on the freshness and kind of fish used. A freshly caught and promptly cooked fish will likely have a lower histamine level. However, the information about the histamine levels in Meunière is scarce and more research is needed to provide more precise and detailed assessments. Therefore, this product has not been researched well enough to publish any further information. Our team is working hard on this. Data will be available soon. References: 1) Maintz, L., & Novak, N. (2007). Histamine and histamine intolerance. The American journal of clinical nutrition, 85(5), 1185-1196. 2) SIGHI-Leaflet Histamine Elimination Diet. (n.d). SIGHI.