Dear Umberto
I think you should question these reports, and ask for evidence of, or a
mechanism for, the production of histamine or other toxic compounds in
stressed fish. Chapters by Pottinger, T.G., 'Effects of husbandry stress on
flesh quality indicators in fish', and Erikson, U., 'Potential effects of
preslaughter fasting, handling and transport', in Kestin, S.C. & Warriss,
P.D., eds., 2001, Farmed Fish Quality, Fishing News Book, Oxford, England,
pp 145-160 and 202-219 respectively, refer to the release of cortisol and
catecholamines as a response to stress in fish, but no mention of
production of histamine. Fish caught from the wild are subjected to stress
and I am not aware of any reports that the stress of capture and death
results in any hazard to consumers. Given the long history of fishing, any
such hazard would surely have been noted by now. Indeed, measurements of
histamine content of fish, including farmed fish, show it is not present in
fish muscle other than under some conditions of storage.
Peter Howgate
----- Original Message -----
From: <Umberto_Luzzana.AGRIDEA@GruppoPizzolo.IT>
To: <seafood@ucdavis.edu>
Sent: Tuesday, September 04, 2001 6:58 AM
Subject: transport stress and fish safety
> I've been asked about possible effects of transport stress on product
> safety of aquacultured fish. These people are talking about release of
> "histamine and other toxic compounds" in fish during trasport to
> slaughtering house, and are concerned about possible effects of this
stress
> on fish safety. I checked the literature, but just found effects of stress
> on fish quality (texture, onset and duration or rigor mortis an so on) and
> nothing about this histamine stress-related formation.
>
> Any information would be really appreciated.
>
> Umberto Luzzana
> A.S.A. s.r.l. - Agridea
> Servizio Nutrizione
> Viale del Lavoro, 45
> 37036 San Martino B.A. (VR)
> ITALY
>
> phone: +39 0458876200 fax: +39 0458876251/250
> URL: http://www.gruppopizzolo.com
>
>
>
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