Study on Level of Histamine in Yellow fin Tuna (Thunnus Albacares) in Relation to Body Size, Seasonal Variations and Spatial Variations

Abstract

Sri Lanka has a 1 500 km costal line and 23000 k 2 exclusive economic zones and the country has been engaged in fishery activity for a long time. Tuna is one of most imported fishery product in Sri Lanka and the annual production is around 80,000 metric tons (Fisheries year book, 2008). The European Union is the highest importer of tuna from Sri Lanka followed by Japan and United Kingdom of America respectively. Yellow fin tuna (Tliunnus albacares) is the species mainly exposed as fresh fish products from Sri Lanks. Private sector plays a dominant role in the processing, mattering and distribution of fish lot local consumption and exports.

Histamine is a naturally occurring substance in mammalian physiology and when it is released in large amounts causes allergic and other reactions (Cavanah and Casale, 1993). Histamine exerts its effects by binding to receptors on cellular membranes in the Respiratory, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal and hematological/ immunological systems and the skin. Hence, the tuna with higher histamine levels are rejected in the export market.

When consider landing sites, good hygienic practices on board fishing vessels, especially during landing and processing, is important to inanimate contamination with non- indigenous histamine producing bacterial species. Good hygiene at processing and preparation stages further along the supply chain is also imponant for the histamine development. So far, research has not been conducted in Sri Lanka regarding this issue and the present study aims to identify the factors inducing elevation of histamine levels in Tuna fish and improving the conditions to reduce histamine levels in Tuna.