Histamine Level in Fishmeal and Shrimp Feed Marketed in India

Abstract

Twenty-five samples each of fishmeal and shrimp feed collected from the East and West coasts of India were screened for the level of histamine, total plate count and load of histamine forming bacteria. The average level of histamine in fishmeal samples was 138.2 µg.g-1 and in the shrimp feed samples 191 µg.g-1. Levels exceeding 200 µg.g-1 were observed in 4/25 samples of fishmeal and 11/25 samples of shrimp feed. The average bacterial load in fishmeal and shrimp feed samples was 1.08 x 106 and 1.13 x 106 cfu.g-1 respectively. Bacillus, Staphylococcus and Micrococcus were the major genera of bacteria isolated. The effect of feeding Penaeus monodon larvae with a diet containing histamine on the susceptibility to infection by V.alginolyticus was studied. There was no significant difference in the LD50 between the treated and untreated larvae.