Tuna Salad Histamine Information

Tuna salad, as a primarily fish-based meal, can have an impact on histamine levels, due to fish being a product known to contain varying levels of histamine. Highly effective chilling during transportation and storage is needed to avoid increases in histamine levels in fish such as tuna. An improper storage condition could lead to bacterial contamination, thereby increasing the histamine level (1). Tuna salad often includes ingredients like mayonnaise, celery, onions, and pickles. Mayonnaise is generally considered a low-histamine food unless it includes vinegar as an ingredient, which is a high-histamine food (2), or is not freshly prepared. Celery and onions typically have negligible effects on histamine levels. Regarding pickles, these usually incorporate vinegar in their preparation process, which is known to contain higher histamine levels. Therefore, regular consumption of pickles could contribute to higher histamine levels (3). It's worth noting that some individuals may react to certain foods or ingredients, not due to the inherent histamine content, but rather because they are histamine liberators. This refers to foods that prompt the body to release histamine. The dietary effect varies from person to person based on individual sensitivity, reaction time, and amount of the food consumed. Despite the potential for tuna salad to increase histamine levels, balance and variation in diet can help manage these levels. Additionally, some ingredients like fresh fruits or vegetables could have an ameliorating effect due to their potential histamine-lowering properties, although more research is required to establish this connection conclusively. References: 1. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S221334371730043X 2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK546620/ 3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6108417/