Vitello Tonnato Histamine Information

Vitello Tonnato is an exquisite Italian dish consisting mainly of veal and tuna. For a clearer understanding of its impact on histamine levels, let's take a deeper look into its main ingredients - veal and tuna, plus the other components of the dish such as capers, mayonnaise, and anchovies. Tuna, particularly when it's not fresh or when it's canned, can contain high levels of histamines. This is attributed to the bacterial enzymes in fish that convert the naturally occurring histidine into histamine (1). Thus, consuming Vitello Tonnato may raise histamine levels due to the tuna component. Veal, the other key ingredient, is normally low in histamines. However, as it ages or if it's improperly stored, histamine levels can increase significantly (2). Anchovies, often used in Vitello Tonnato, are similar to tuna in that they tend to amass histamine when they're not extremely fresh or if they're canned (1). Other ingredients such as capers and mayonnaise are usually low in histamines, but it would also depend on how these ingredients have been stored and prepared. So, it's evident that while not all elements of Vitello Tonnato are high in histamines, several key ingredients often are. This could mean that consuming this dish could lead to increased histamine levels in the body, especially for those with histamine intolerance. It must be noted though - the overall impact on histamine levels can vary greatly, and proper storage and careful preparation of Vitello Tonnato could mitigate histamine levels to some extent. This product has not been researched well enough to publish definitive conclusions on this topic, our team is working hard on this. More data will be available soon. References: 1. Taylor, S. L. (1986). Histamine food poisoning: toxicology and clinical aspects. Critical reviews in toxicology, 17(2), 91-128. 2. Visciano, P., Schirone, M., Tofalo, R., & Suzzi, G. (2014). Histamine poisoning and control measures in fish and fishery products. Frontiers in microbiology, 5, 500.