Histamine in Danish cheese [histidin, poisoning, toxicity]

• Published in: Dansk Veterinaertidsskrift (Denmark) Vol. 64; no. 22
• Main Authors: Larsen, P.H, Mikkelsen, C, Nielsen, E.W. (Kongelige Veterinaer- og Landbohoejskole, Copenhagen (Denmark). Maelkerilaboratoriet)
• Format: Magazine Article
• Language: Danish
• Published: 15.11.1981
• ISSN: 0106-6854

Histamine has been determined by a fluorometric method in 122 samples of cheese, which are considered to be representative for Danish cheeses. The mean value (logarithmic) was 4 mg histamine/100 g for the 112 ripened cheeses, of which the majority belonged to the Danbo-type, the Havarti-type and the blue-mold type. The highest value recorded was 24 mg/100 g. For the unripened cream cheeses (10 samples) the mean was 0.3 mg/100 g and the maximum 1.5 mg/100 g. Agge of the ripened cheeses ranged from 1 to 9 months (one was 17 months), and the results indicate a possible low increase in histamine content with age, but the correlation was not distinct (r = 0.5). The results are compared with figures for histamine content in cheese recorded in similar investigations in other countries. It is concluded, that by ordinary consumption of Danish cheeses the risk of histamine poisoning can be considered very small