Biogenic Amines Content of Canned Tuna Fish Marketed in Iran

Canned tuna fish are frequently and largely produced and consumed in Iran and also exported. Therefore, their biogenic amines content should be of some concern to human health. In the present study, the levels of histamine, putrescine, tyramine and spermidine in 40 samples of canned tuna fish were determined. Histamine, as the major chemical hazard of seafood products, was detected in 57.5 % of the samples tested. It was in the range of 0.12-648.20 mg/kg. 25 % of the samples contained more than 50 mg histamine/kg fish, the allowable limit suggested by US FDA. Tyramine, as the major mutagen precursor, was detected in 55 % of the samples tested. The overall mean of tyramine in canned tuna samples was 0.7 mg/kg. This level of contamination is far below the allowable level of tyramine in foods. Putrescine was detected in all the samples tested in the range of 0.29-52.83 mg/kg. However, spermidine was only detected in 32.5 % of the samples analyzed with the overall mean of 1.37 mg/kg. Considering high levels of histamine in canned tuna samples, quality control programs in the tuna-canning industries must recommend removing contaminated fish and improving the quality of canned tuna fish.