Assessment of histamine levels in frozen Atlantic horse mackerel (Trachurus trachurus) in Dome market, Ghana

Abstract

Fish safety is on the agenda of many countries and in the international trade of fish and fishery products. Safe fish consumption plays a critical role in meeting food and nutrition security. Histamine poisoning is the most common cause of human foodborne illness due to the consumption of fish products. Atlantic Horse Mackerel (Trachurus trachurus) is an important source of animal protein in Ghana. The present study was aimed at assessing the histamine levels of frozen Atlantic horse mackerel in an important local market, which could serve as baseline data for evaluating the related risk of exposure to seafood illnesses in Ghana. A total of forty-nine (49) T. trachurus specimens were randomly purchased from seven (7) out of ten (10) cold stores. Histamine was analysed using high performance liquid chromatographic method with an ultraviolet detector. The mean temperature ranged from -14.3 ± 0.1 to -21.3 °C ± 0.1, and was significantly different (p < 0.05) among the cold stores. The mean histamine concentration ranged from 4.5 mg/kg ± 0.01 to 17.7 mg/kg ± 0.4 compared to the critical limit of 100 mg/kg for frozen fish, and was significantly different (p < 0.05) among the cold stores. There was a positive relationship between histamine concentration and temperature. We recommend fishermen keeping fish on ice, routine checking of cold stores by officers of Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), and awareness creation on histamine by technical officers of the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development (MoFAD) to ensure that quality frozen fish and fishery products are made available to consumers.