Thai Rice Noodles Histamine Information

Thai rice noodles, known as Pad Thai, are primarily composed of rice, water, and often additional ingredients like tofu, shrimp, chicken, and vegetables. While each of these ingredients possesses different histamine properties, none appear to have a documented, high histamine content. Starting with the main ingredient, rice, it's considered low in histamine and a safe food for those with histamine intolerance. It's not known to release further histamine in individuals or delay its breakdown (1). Similarly, water has no impact on histamine levels in humans. Moving on to the common protein used in Thai rice noodles, tofu, is itself derived from soybeans and is generally considered low in histamine and is not known to liberate histamine. However, processes like fermentation used in some tofu production can increase histamine levels (2). Shrimp, another protein often used, generally has low histamine levels unless it is stale or improperly stored, in which case, histamine levels can rise dramatically (3). Chicken is generally low in histamine, but processed forms like cured or smoked chicken can contain significant amounts of histamine. Lastly, the vegetables commonly used in Thai rice noodles like bean sprouts, garlic, peanuts, and lime do not generally have high levels of histamine. However, if someone has a specific sensitivity towards any of these ingredients, they may experience an increase in histamine levels (4). In conclusion, based on the present research, Thai rice noodles do not seem to have a significant impact on histamine levels for most individuals, unless certain ingredients are fermented or improperly stored. References: 1: Maintz L, Novak N. Histamine and histamine intolerance. American journal of clinical nutrition 2007. 2: EFSA Panel on Biological Hazards (BIOHAZ). Scientific Opinion on risk based control of biogenic amine formation in fermented foods. EFSA Journal 2011. 3: Lehane L, Olley J. Histamine fish poisoning revisited. International journal of food microbiology 2000. 4: Feketea G, Bocsan IC, Vlase L, et al. Impact of Diet on Adult-Onset Histamine Intolerance and its Influence on Symptoms. Orv Hetil 2017.