Relationship between Histamine Content and Bacterial Flora of Kusaya Gravy

Abstract

The numbers of both histamine-decomposing and histamine-producing bacteria and the histamine contents of Kusaya gravy were studied in 5 samples obtained from manufacturers in Niijima, Oshima and Chichijima Islands. The histamine-metabolic bacteria were classified at the genus level in all samples. Kusaya gravy had only few histamine-producing bacteria and 104~106 cells/ml of histamine-decomposing bacteria. The pH values of Kusaya gravy were in the optimal range for bacterial histamine decomposition. From these results, it is assumed that histamine hardly accumulates in Kusaya gravy. Large numbers of bacteria of genus Alcali-genes were detected as histamine-decomposing bacteria in all samples. However, most of the histamine-decomposing activity was found in the minority flora of Kusaya gravy. © 1995, Japanese Society for Food Hygiene and Safety. All rights reserved.