In order to determine the mechanism of histamine (Hm) formation in scombroid fish stored at low temperature, total viable and luminous bacterial counts (TVC and LBC), bacterial flora, Hm contents in several parts of mackerel stored in ice and at the temperature of ice, and Hm formation by the isolates were studied.
In the first experiment (Exp. I), Hm was formed in the muscles during storage at the temperature of ice but not in ice. Hm content was far higher in the ventral muscles than in the dorsal muscles.
P. phosphoreum grew in the abdominal walls in both storages (
ca. 81% in LBC/TVC), and in the muscles during storage at the temperature of ice (
ca. 2.5% in LBC/TVC).
P. phosphoreum isolated formed a high level of Hm. In the second experiment (Exp. II), a small amount of Hm was formed in the muscles, especially the ventral muscles, and
P. phosphoreum was not found in fish before and after storage. These results indicate that
P. phosphoreum plays an exclusive role in histamine formation in mackerel stored at the temperature of ice.
Both whole and halophilic bacterial floras were dominated by
Vibrio in all the parts (skin, muscle, abdominal walls) of fish in Exp. I and by
Pseudomonas or
Moraxella in Exp. II.
Photobacterium leiognathi was found in all the parts of fish before storage in Exp. I but not in Exp. II, and
P. phosphoreum also grew only in fish after storage in Exp. I as above.
Pseudomonas or
Moraxella dominated also in Exp. I after growth of
P. phosphoreum. These results suggest that
Photobacterium grows in the flora dominated by Vibrio, especially halophilic floras, and hardly grows in the flora dominated by
Pseudomonas or
Moraxella.
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