Histamine Contents and Histamine-Metabolizing Microbial Flora during Fermentation of Squid Shiokara

Abstract

Changes in histamine contents and in the numbers of histamine-producing and histamine-decomposing bacteria were examined during the fermentation of one sample of squid Shiokara Shirodukuri (salted and fermented squid meat without skin) and two samples (A, B) of Akadukuri (salted and fermented squid meat with skin). Histamine contents of the samples were extremely small, being 0.2-5.4mg/100g, 0.1-1.0mg/100g and 0g/100g for Shirodukuri, Akadukuri A and Akadukuri B, respectively. Histamine-producing bacteria were detected only at the 7th day and the viable count was 3.0×10¹/g. The numbers of histamine-decomposing bacteria which were detected during the initial fermentation period of Shirodukuri and Akadukuri A were approximately 10²/g. Acinetobacter species were identified as histamine-producing and histamine-decomposing bacteria.