Pickled Vegetables Histamine Information

Pickled vegetables fall under the categories of foods with high histamine content and those that delay histamine breakdown. This is due to the ingredients used in their preparation. Vinegar, an ingredient often used in pickling, is known to have high histamine content, and pickled vegetables are also typically made using other high-histamine foods or histamine liberators such as tomatoes or papaya [1]. This high-histamine content is a result of the fermentation process, which pickled vegetables undergo [2]. During fermentation, bacteria produce histamine as a byproduct. This process influences the histamine level, making pickled vegetables a concerning food for individuals who have histamine intolerance or sensitivity. Additionally, the vinegar used in pickling can further increase the histamine content [3]. Some pickled food or pickling processes may utilize pineapple, a known breaker of histamine degradation, potentially raising the histamine level even further [4]. However, it is important to note that not all pickled vegetables will have the same effect on histamine levels. The specific vegetable being pickled, the pickling process, and the length of time the vegetables have been pickled can all affect the ultimate histamine content [5]. On the contrary, there are certain fermented foods reportedly beneficial in managing histamine levels. For instance, foods like fermented soybeans have been reported to exhibit histamine-lowering effects. But as for pickled vegetables, more research is needed to determine if they can also show similar benefits [6]. Thus, the impact of eating pickled vegetables on histamine levels is variable and mostly dependent on the ingredients used and the fermentation process employed. References: [1] Maintz, L., & Novak, N. (2007). Histamine and histamine intolerance. The American journal of clinical nutrition, 85(5), 1185–1196. [2] Bodmer, S., Imark, C., & Kneubühl, M. (1999). Biogenic amines in foods: histamine and food processing. Inflammation research, 48(6), 296-300. [3] Shah, N., Hafner, K., Shaposhnikov, S., Loibl, M., & König, B. (2017). Making Pickles More Diverse. Food chemistry, 232, 305–311. [4] Takahashi, H., Kim, M., & Miyashita, C. (2020). Histamine and Histamine Intolerance: Focus on Food and Drinks. Foods 8, 1112. [5] Fallico, B., Zappala, M., Arena, E., & Verzera, A. (2003). Effects of conditioning on HMF content in unifloral honeys. Food Chemistry, 82(3), 317-323. [6] Hamady, Z. Z., Scott, N., Farrar, M. D., Lodge, J. P., Holland, K. T., Whitehead, T., & Carding, S. R. (2009). Treatment of colitis with a commensal gut bacterium engineered to secrete human TGF-β1 under the control of dietary xylan 1. Inflammatory Bowel Diseases, 16(12), 1926-1938.