[Physical and chemical effect of reducing histamine levels in the meat of mackerel-type fish and its application in the manufacture of fish products].

The processing of fish (mackerels) with the potential ability of producing histamine leads to the production of hygienically unsafe food. Elimination of histamine production in fish food in the process of the technological production procedure was studied. The stability of histamine in model systems and in mackerel muscle was studied as influenced by temperature. Histamine was demonstrated to be thermally stable. Efforts to use the possibility of deamination reaction of histamine decomposition by means of plant and animal diaminooxidase failed, nor is it possible to recommend the use of the reaction between histamine and sodium nitrite, which was tested as a procedure of the degradation of histamine in the muscle of mackerels. The reduction of histamine content was negligible and the nutritive value of fish muscle decreased owing to the breakdown of amino acids.