June 23, 2022. The Bureau of Agriculture and Fisheries Standards (DA-BAFS) issued a technical bulletin (TB) to inform the public about the food safety implications of high histamine content in fish and fishery products. Fish poisoning from Scombroid (histamine) is a public health issue that should be addressed since it is frequently underreported as an allergic reaction to fish due to its food allergy-like symptoms.
In 2015, more than 50 residents of Naguilian, Isabela were hospitalized after consuming dishes made from tulingan (or tuna). It was later found out that the tuna was already stale when it was sold to the residents. Such scenarios would have been prevented if people knew how to handle fresh fish properly.
The TB allows the readers to identify histamine poisoning and differentiate it from common food allergies. It also underlines the recommended measures for each step of the food supply chain, i.e., from fisherfolks to consumers, to prevent histamine production in fish.
To read more on the TB and other similar documents, check our website at http://bafs.da.gov.ph. ###