Investigating histamine levels, microbial and chemical properties in industrial and traditional drying methods of anchovy fish in Qeshm Island

The occurrence of histamine, or scombroid food poisoning, can be attributed to the ingestion of elevated levels of histamine in fish, resulting in physiological disturbances in humans.Given that the Persian Gulf is a primary anchovy fish food source, it is plausible that the fish may be contaminated with high histamine levels.Consequently, this study was undertaken to examine alterations in histamine levels, microbial and chemical characteristics in Persian Gulf anchovies subjected to two industrial and traditional drying methods, and to contrast the disparities between these methods. The experimental design involved the collection and preparation of samples, followed by the measurement of peroxide value (PV), total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N), microbial tests, sensory evaluation, and the quantification of histamine using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).The findings of the present study demonstrated that the levels of histamine increased during the drying process. The findings revealed that the traditional method did not yield higher histamine levels than the industrial method, with the amount of histamine reported as 3215 mg/kg in fresh fish, 766 mg/kg in traditional dried samples, and 764 mg/kg in industrial dried samples, respectively. Moreover, no significant difference was observed in the measured histamine levels between the two drying methods (P>0.05). However, a significant decrease in histamine levels was observed in fresh fish samples in comparison to both drying methods (P<0.05).Conversely, a significant variation in the levels of TVB-N was detected among the samples (P<0.05), with the highest levels observed in samples subjected to the traditional method and the lowest levels detected in fresh fish samples. Furthermore, a significant difference was observed in the amount of PV of the samples (P<0.05).The findings of this study suggest that the measurable concentration of histamine in fish products may vary depending on several factors, including fishing methods, fishing season, fish size, temperature and type of drying process, rate of histamine production, and the decomposition rate during preparation and drying.