Rollmops Histamine Information

Rollmops, a popular German dish prepared from pickled herring rolled around pickles or onions, have potential implications on histamine levels in the body. The key here lies in two elements of the dish: the herring and the pickling method. Studies have indicated that fish products, especially preserved ones such as smoked or canned fish, often have high histamine content (1). This is usually a result of bacterial decarboxylation of the amino acid histidine to histamine during storage (2). Hence, herrings used in preparing rollmops can potentially contribute to significantly raising histamine levels. The pickling method is another crucial factor, due to the vinegar used in the process. Vinegar, which is integral to pickling, has been recognized as a food with high histamine content (3). Additionally, pickled foods and other vinegar-containing products have been reported to delay the breakdown of histamine, thus potentially, increasing the period during which histamine levels remain high in the body (4). However, it's important to note that this does not mean rollmops will consistently raise histamine levels or cause issues in all individuals. The effects can vary widely depending on factors like personal sensitivity to histamine, the freshness of the fish before it was prepared, and the specific microbes involved in the fermentation process. In light of this, providing a definitive statement on how eating rollmops impacts histamine levels can be challenging. One must consider both the herring and the pickling process in evaluating the potential effects on histamine levels. References: 1. Lehane, L., & Olley, J. (2000). Histamine fish poisoning revisited. International Journal of Food Microbiology, 58(1-2), 1-37. 2. Kanki, M., Yoda, T., Tsukamoto, T., & Baba, E. (2007). Histidine decarboxylases and their role in accumulation of histamine in fish. Food chemistry, 101(2), 563-569. 3. Maintz, L., & Novak, N. (2007). Histamine and histamine intolerance. The American journal of clinical nutrition, 85(5), 1185-1196. 4. Kovacova-Hanuskova, E., Buday, T., Gavliakova, S., & Plevkova, J. (2015). Histamine, histamine intoxication and intolerance. Allergologia et immunopathologia, 43(5), 498-506.