Measurement of Histamine in Seafood by HPLC, CE, and ELISA: Comparison of Three Techniques

Sensitive SERS aptasensor for histamine detection based on Au/Ag nanorods and IRMOF-3@Au based flexible PDMS membrane

BACKGROUND

Histamine is a kind of biogenic amine with strong toxicity and potential carcinogenicity. Many traditional methods of detecting histamine have the disadvantages of cumbersome detection steps, expensive equipment, and high professional requirements for staff. In contrast, SERS has become the preferred method for quantitative analysis of histamine because of rich fingerprint information, rapidity and economy. However, most of SERS substrates still have technical problems, such as poor stability, low sample collection rate, and detection efficiency. Therefore, there is a great need for new strategies to develop high-performance SERS substrates based sensors.

RESULTS

In our study, a sensitive SERS aptasensor for the detection of histamine was synthesized. The assembly was formed between IRMOF-3@Au/PDMS (flexible SERS substrate) and AuNR-DTNB@Ag-HA apt (Raman signal probe with both the target capture ability) via π-π stacking interaction from HA aptamer and IRMOF-3. Consequently, the SERS signal of the assembly derived from DTNB reached highest due to the synergistic enhancement effect by AuNR@Ag and IRMOF-3@Au. Meanwhile, HA aptamer can specifically capture histamine, therefore histamine addition competitively bound to the probe, leading to a corresponding decrease in the DTNB signal value on the SERS substrate. The SERS intensity at 1331 cm-1 presented a good linear relationship towards the logarithmic value of histamine concentrations ranging from 0.0001 mg/L to 400 mg/L (R2 = 0.990) with the LOD of 3.6 × 10-5 mg/L. Furthermore, the application in wine samples demonstrated the accuracy and applicability of the developed sensor.

SIGNIFICANCE

This method effectively improves substrate stability, detection sensitivity and signal response immediacy to amplify the SERS sensor, thus satisfying the histamine detection requirements of various systems. According to this aptasensor design, our strategy can be extended to create other MOF-based SERS substrates for accurately detecting relative targets to ensure food safety.

Assessment of Postharvest Practices of Tuna Sold at the Honiara Fish Market in the Solomon Islands

The study is aimed at assessing the impacts of postharvest handling practices on the quality and safety of tuna sold at the Honiara Fish Market (HFM), Solomon Islands. Two major approaches were adopted: (1) face-to-face interviews of 60 participants using questionnaires and physical observations of the supply chains and postharvest handling practices and (2) determination of time-temperature, quality index, histamine, and microbial load of tuna and contact surfaces. Sampling was conducted on both the wet season (WS) and dry season (DS), of which 36 samples from both batches of fresh tuna (FT) and brined tuna (BT) were analyzed. Three critical control points (CCPs) were identified in the supply chains of both FT and BT, where samples were obtained for scientific analyses. The average body temperature for WS tuna exposed for 9-10 h with low or no ice after catch was 3°C for FT and 15°C for BT, while DS samples were 26°C and 31°C for FT and BT, respectively. The quality index (QI) for WS showed a significant difference (P < 0.05) at 0 for FT and 8 for BT, while both DS showed a significant increase at 16 for BT and 5 for FT. Histamine levels for all the samples increased across the three CCPs, however with levels <50 mg/L, while microbial load for both seasons and for both samples were within the required specifications. However, contact surfaces for both seasons revealed high levels of microbial contamination. This study reveals that poor handling practices along the tuna supply chains of fish sold at the HFM were observed; however, all the tuna was safe for consumption when cooked properly.

Potential hazards associated with the consumption of Scombridae fish: Infection and toxicity from raw material and processing

Scombridae fish (tuna, bonito, and mackerel) have significant ecological and economic values. They are very appreciated by consumers worldwide for their high-quality flesh and for their high nutritional value. However, consumption of Scombridae fish is potentially hazardous. Indeed, several cases of infections and toxicity linked to the consumption of Scombridae fish as raw, or processed food products have been reported worldwide. In this review, we presented the most common health risks associated with Scombridae fish consumption. Diseases associated with the consumption of these fish are generally infectious or toxic and are caused by biological hazards such as bacteria, viruses, parasites, or chemicals hazards that enter the body through contaminated fish (Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons, histamine) or by physical contaminants such as heavy metals. The risks of contamination exist throughout the food chain, from primary production to the preparation of products for consumption.

Analysis of Biogenic Amines Using Immunoassays, HPLC, and a Newly Developed IC-MS/MS Technique in Fish Products-A Comparative Study

In this study, comparative analyses were carried out with ion chromatography mass-spectrometry (IC-MS/MS) which has no derivatization step, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) technique, as well as two quantitative and two semi-quantitative immunoassays. The results demonstrated that HPLC and quantitative immunoassay methods were well-correlated with IC-MS/MS in determining histamine in various types of fish products. The best correlation was observed with the HistaSure ELISA Fast Track kit (R² = 0.9903). More than half of the values (68%) obtained by two methods were also statistically similar. The results of semi-quantitative test kits also supported histamine values estimated by quantitative methods, with some exceptions. The best results were found for HistaSure Lateral Flow in supporting the quantitative techniques. Therefore, these methods are found suitable for monitoring histamine in fish products in terms of food safety. Good correlations were also observed HPLC and IC-MS/MS in determining cadaverine, putrescine, and tyramine with the highest value observed for tyramine as R² = 0.9785. However, no correlation was observed for other biogenic amines, and the majority of the results were significantly different from each other for these amines (p < 0.05). The differences may be caused by the drawbacks reported previously for HPLC. However, further studies are required to confirm the possible effects. This study provides a comparative evaluation of several methods in terms of their suitability in determining biogenic amines in fish products for both monitoring and regulatory purposes.

The nutritional value, bacterial count and sensory attributes of little tuna (Euthynnus affinis) floss incorporated with the banana blossom

The study aimed to evaluate the addition of banana blossom (12.5, 25, 37.5, and 50% w/w) on nutritional quality, histamine content, bacterial count, and sensory characteristic in the fish floss prepared from little tuna (Euthynnus affinis). The crude protein content, essential amino acids, lipid, and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) steadily decreased (p <0.05), while the crude fibre, carbohydrate, and ash components of the tuna floss, increased significantly (p <0.05) with increasing levels of banana blossom. The contents of protein, fat, ash, fibre, carbohydrate, and moisture ranged 28.13 – 30.27%, 14.79 – 18.02%, 4.45 – 5.68%, 2.6 – 3.5%, 27.81 – 31.01, and 16.45 – 17.39%, respectively, and most of them met the Indonesian National Standard. For essential and non-essential amino acids, the level varied about 102.82 mg.g-1 to 206.76 mg.g-1 and 79.71 mg.g-1 to 138.76 mg.g-1, respectively in the treated tuna flosses. Moreover, ranging 13.72 – 16.29% of PUFA was found in all treated flosses. The most significant effect was found in the histamine levels of the tuna flosses, especially in the 50% added floss sample. Moreover, bacterial counts and heavy metals content were lower than the maximum limits regulated by the Indonesian National Standard. For sensory evaluation, the banana blossom-added samples significantly increased (p >0.05) the acceptability score for all attributes assessed. Taken together, the tuna floss added with 37.5% of banana blossom may be potentially developed as a low-histamine tuna-based product with high ffibre andEPA+DHA, as well as highly acceptable for consumers.

Determination of Biogenic Amines in Fresh Fish and Processed Fish Products Using IC-MS/MS

A new method was proposed for the determination of underivatized biogenic amines based on ion-exchange chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry detection. The method was applied to the analysis of 10 biogenic amines in fresh and processed fish products. The amines were extracted from muscle tissue with water without any additional derivative step or sample clean-up. Separation of biogenic amines was done by the IonPac (4 × 50 mm) column, applying a gradient eluent by mixing formic acid (2 mol L⁻¹) and Milli-Q water (formic acid concentration from 400 mM to 2 M). The results demonstrated a linear response in the range of 0.01 to 10 mg L⁻¹. The detection limits for the fish products ranged from 20 ng/g up to around 400 ng/g for histamine and putrescine, respectively. Spermidine and spermine showed significantly higher detection limits. This current method can be used for the determination of biogenic amines in both fresh and processed fish products for regulatory purposes and monitoring food-safety issues relating to these amines, particularly histamine. It is also a useful method for evaluation of other commercial analytical test kits and commonly used methods that are possibly affected by the food matrix due to processing or other drawbacks arising from the derivatization process.

ELISA and UPLC/FLD as Screening and Confirmatory Techniques for T-2/HT-2 Mycotoxin Determination in Cereals

T-2 and HT-2 toxins are secondary metabolites of various species of Fusarium. These molecules can have high potential toxic effects for human and animal health. In this work, ELISA and ultra performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection (UPLC/FLD) were implemented and validated as screening and confirmatory tests for the detection of these two toxins in cereal samples. The developed methods were tested by analyzing 100 samples of cereals by ELISA screening for reducing costs and analysis time and then using UPLC/FLD for confirmation purposes. Both methods met the performance criteria for sensitivity, linearity, selectivity, precision, and ruggedness, as reported in the European Decision No. 2002/657/EC and in Regulation (EC) No. 401/2006. The correlation between ELISA and UPLC/FLD approaches showed good results (r = 0.9056), confirming that these two techniques should be considered to be complementary in the official control activities of cereal and derived products.

A 5-Years (2015–2019) Control Activity of an EU Laboratory: Contamination of Histamine in Fish Products and Exposure Assessment

Histamine contamination was evaluated on 474 batches (3130 determinations) of fish products collected in Puglia and Basilicata (southern part of Italy) during the years 2015–2019, using a high-throughput two-tier approach involving a screening (ELISA test) and confirmatory method (HPLC/FLD with o-phthalaldehyde derivatization). Histamine concentration >2.5 mg kg−1 was detected in 51% of total batches with the 2.5% of non-compliance. Except for two samples of fresh anchovies, all non-compliant samples were frozen, defrosted and canned tuna. Among 111 fresh tuna batches, 9 had a content of histamine between 393 and 5542 mg kg−1, and scombroid poisoning cases were observed after their consumption. Good quality canned tuna and ripened anchovies sold in Italy was observed. Furthermore, the analysis of the processing technology and storage practice critical points were reported in this study, with useful considerations to minimize the histamine risk for consumers. Finally, based on these results, several considerations about risk exposure were reported.

The analytical determination of polyphosphates in food: A point-to-point comparison between direct ion chromatography and indirect photometry

Being an indirect approach, the standard method for the determination of polyphosphates (PPs) in food maybe characterized by high variability which can lead to significant errors in the final measurement. In this study, this method was validated and then compared to the ion chromatography-based approach. Method trueness and measurement uncertainty resulted comparable, while the precision of ion chromatography approach was higher. No "false positive" responses were obtained from ion chromatography analysis, while indirect photometry may cause "false positive" results (5% of analyzed samples). Regarding "false negative" results, this possibility maybe verified for all food types tested and for seafood when using indirect photometry and ion chromatography, respectively. The percentages of "false negative" samples were equal to 23.3% for indirect photometry and 10% for ion chromatography. In conclusion, the indirect photometry is a reliable method especially as "screening technique", while ion chromatography maybe used as a confirmatory technique, successfully.

Towards a catheter-based impedimetric sensor for the assessment of intestinal histamine levels in IBS patients

In this work, we report on the development of a catheter-based sensor designed for measuring the concentration of histamine in the human duodenum. Certain gut disorders, such as the irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), are associated with elevated levels of intestinal histamine due to chronic immune activation. As it is still impossible to determine histamine concentrations in vivo, a nasointestinal catheter with histamine-sensing capabilities has the potential to become a valuable diagnostic instrument. Regarding the sensing principle, we selected impedance spectroscopy using voltages that are compatible with intra-body applications with molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) as recognition elements. MIPs are synthetic receptors that offer the advantages of robustness, high specificity and selectivity for histamine as a target. In this specific case, the MIPs were synthesized from acryclic acid monomers, which guarantees a uniform binding capacity within the pH range of intestinal fluid. We have validated the catheter sensor on human intestinal liquids spiked with histamine in a testing setup that mimics the environment inside the duodenum. The dose-response curves show an analytical range between 5 and 200 nM of histamine, corresponding to physiologically normal conditions while higher concentrations correlate with disease. The key output signal of the sensor is the resistive component of the MIP-functionalized titanium electrodes as derived from the equivalent-circuit modelling of full-range impedance spectra. Future applications could be catheters tailored to cardiovascular, urological, gastrointestinal, and neurovascular applications. This, in combination with the versatility of the MIPs, will make this sensor platform a versatile diagnostic tool.

Effect of Selected Starter Cultures on Physical, Chemical and Microbiological Characteristics and Biogenic Amine Content in Protected Geographical Indication Ciauscolo Salami

The aim of the study was to evaluate the biogenic amine (BA) content of Ciauscolo salami made with and without the use of a selected started culture. Two batches of salami were made following the guidelines of the Protected Geographical Indications: with and without adding a commercial starter culture made of Lactobacillus plantarum and Staphylococcus xylosus. Six samples of salami per batch were collected at different ripening times (0, 15, 30, 45 and 60 days) for physical, chemical and microbiological analyses and for the determination of BA content. No differences were recorded for physical, chemical and microbiological analyses except for Staphylococcus spp. count at the time of casing (T0) and total volatile basic nitrogen (TVBN) from 30 days (T2) to the end of the ripening time (60 days, T4). After 60 days of ripening, the use of selected starter culture significantly affected the amount of putrescine (195.15 vs 164.43 mg/100 g in salami without and with starters, respectively), cadaverine (96.95 vs 104.40 mg/100 g in salami without and with starters, respectively), histamine (81.94 vs 69.89 mg/100 g in salami without and with starters, respectively), and spermine (36.88 vs 33.57 mg/100 g in salami without and with starters, respectively). Despite significantly higher values of TVBN, the use of selected starter culture determined no significant effects on the BA content of the products.

Biogenic amines, amino acids and microflora changes in Indian mackerel (Rastrellinger kanagurta) stored at ambient (25-29 °C) and ice temperature (0 °C)

Biogenic amines formation in Indian mackerel of tropical region was investigated during storage at ambient (25-29 °C) and ice temperature (0 °C) in relation with changes of amino acids content and amines forming bacteria. All amines increased significantly during storage at two temperatures except for spermidine and spermine. Histamine concentration of 363.5 ppm was detected after 16 h stored at ambient temperature. Aerobic plate count of fish stored at ambient temperature reached 6.98 log CFU g(-1) after 16 h, close to the upper limit (7 log CFU g(-1)) suggested by International Commission on the Microbiological Specifications for Foods (ICMSF). However, proper icing procedure retarded the formation of histamine effectively, resulting only 8.31 ppm after 16 days of ice storage. Aerobic plate count of 5.99 and 7.72 log CFU g(-1) were recorded for fish stored in ice after 16 days and ambient temperature after 20 h, respectively. Histamine exhibited high correlation with histidine (r(2) = -0.963, P < 0.01) as well as cadaverine with lysine (r(2) = -0.750, P < 0.05). However, tyramine-tyrosine demonstrated a weaker relationship (r(2) = -0.138, P > 0.05). As storage time progressed, the amines forming bacteria grew significantly except for that stored in ice.