Scombroid poisoning (histamine poisoning) is associated with the ingestion of foods that contain high concentrations of histamine and possibly other vasoactive amines and compounds.
Histamine is a physiological amine involved in allergic reactions, and is the main toxin involved in histamine fish poisoning. Histamine production in fish is related to the histidine content of the fish, the presence of bacterial histidine decarboxylase, and environmental conditions. Bacterial decarboxylase enzymes acting on free histidine and other amino acids in the fish muscle form histamine and other biogenic amines (Lehane & Olley 1999).
Species in the scombroid group (tuna, mackerel, and sardines) have high histidine levels and are most frequently associated with scombroid poisoning. Non-scombroid species implicated in scombroid poisoning are Australian salmon (Arripis trutta), Yellowtail kingfish (Seriola lalandi), Mullet (Mugil cephalus), Oilfish (Ruvettus pretiosus) and Warehou (Seriolella), known in New Zealand as Kahawai (Fletcher et al. 1998; Lehane & Olley 1999).
