Sensory quality and histamine formation during controlled decomposition of tuna (Thunnus thynnus)

Histamine production was studied during controlled tunafish decomposition at 0, 8, and 20 degrees C. The influence of the location of the anatomic section on the amount of histamine formed and the incidence of histidine decarboxylating bacteria were also considered. By the time of sensory rejection, histamine levels in tunafish sections stored at 0 and 20 degrees C were still below the hazard levels and the allowable levels established by both the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Union. Toxic amounts were only formed after the tunafish was considered organoleptically unsuitable for human consumption. However, at 8 degrees C, levels of histamine between 100 and 200 mg/100 g of fish were found before tuna reached the rejection point. Hence, physical appearance was not a good criterion for estimating the shelf life and especially the histamine-related health hazard when tuna was stored at 8 degrees C, a common temperature in many home refrigerators.