Who has allergies or food allergies? If so, you are probably familiar with histamine. Academically, histamine is a type of amine that is produced by the immune system and accumulates in mast cells. It plays an important role in the inflammatory process. The body will react to allergens and become familiar with allergies such as rashes, hives, nasal congestion, diarrhea, etc.The disadvantage of eating foods high in histamine can cause an allergic reaction as quickly as minutes to hours. The duration and severity of the onset of symptoms will vary depending on individual sensitivity.

Symptoms are divided into four categories :
1. Dermatological system : rash, urticaria and inflammation.
2. Gastrointestinal system : nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal pain.
3. Circulatory system: rapid pulse, dizziness and low blood pressure.
4. Nervous system: headache, difficulty swallowing, oral numbness and itching.

Allergic reactions last from 10 minutes to 2 hours and return to normal within 24 hours without treatment. Some people may experience severe allergies. If the body responds severely, symptoms may last for several days and require hospitalization.

Fish sauce production Thai fish sauce requires that the concentration of histamine not exceed the minimum standard for symptomatic histamine level of 100 mg/dL. In the production process, we use scientific techniques to determine the histamine content in fish sauce by chemical analysis to measure histamine concentration in fish sauce samples. However, histamine must not exceed the food safety standards of each country, for example, the United States (FDA) and European countries require fish sauce to have a histamine content of no more than 200 ppm.

If we mainly focus on our safety and health, we can choose good fish sauce. In other words, good fish sauce comes from fresh fermented anchovies. Manufacturers will pay attention from the selection of fish used to make fish sauce by looking at the characteristics of the fish such as clear eyes, fish patterns and no rotten smell. Most importantly, we must marinate in a specific time to avoid spoiling the fish. It will give us good quality fish sauce and low histamine content.

Therefore, choosing to buy or consume fish sauce produced near the source of raw materials and meet standards will reduce the risk. We don't have to worry about allergens because at least in our home we should be able to choose what quality fish sauce to buy and where to source it in our kitchen.

If you are concerned about the quality of fish sauce, you should consult an expert or relevant organization for further advice and information about histamine in fish sauce.
‍