Oyster Sauce Histamine Information

Oyster sauce is a popular condiment in many Asian cuisines. Its primary ingredients include oysters, salt, sugar, water, and corn starch. Some variations might also contain soy sauce and preservatives. The impact of eating oyster sauce on a particular individual's histamine levels can vary based on several factors. One of the key ingredients to consider is oysters. Seafood, including oysters, is generally classified as a food with a high histamine content. Consumption of such foods could potentially lead to an increase in an individual’s histamine levels if the body doesn't break down histamine properly (1). However, it's worth noting that the oysters used in oyster sauce are usually cooked thoroughly, which may reduce their histamine content, but there is a lack of solid research regarding the specific impact of processed oyster sauce on histamine levels. Preservatives are also a key consideration in this context, as certain types are known to be histamine liberators (2). So, if the oyster sauce contains preservatives, there's a possibility that they might trigger the release of more histamine in the body. At this point, it's important to stress that the amount of histamine in any food product can depend greatly on how it’s stored and processed. The longer a food is stored or left to ripen, the more histamine it can develop. So a bottle of oyster sauce that's been open for a while could potentially have a higher histamine content (3). There is currently no concrete research available specifically about the histamine content or the histamine liberating properties of oyster sauce. This product has not been researched well enough to publish any specific information. Our team is working hard on this. Data will be available soon. (1) Maintz, Laura, and Natalija Novak. “Histamine and Histamine Intolerance.” The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, vol. 85, no. 5, 2007, pp. 1185–1196., doi:10.1093/ajcn/85.5.1185. (2) Laura Maintz & Natalija Novak. "Histamine and histamine intolerance," American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2007, ajcn.nutrition.org/content/85/5/1185.full. (3) Barcik, W., Pugin, B., Westermann, P. et al. "Histamine-secreting microbes are increased in the gut of adult asthma patients". J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2016 Nov;138(5):1491-1494.e7. doi: 10.1016/j.jaci.2016.03.057.