Histamine accumulation in dairy products: Microbial causes, techniques for the detection of histamine-producing microbiota, and potential solutions

Abstract

Histamine poisoning is a significant public health and safety concern. Intoxication from ingestion of food containing high amounts of histamine may cause mild or severe symptoms that can even culminate in cardiac arrest. Nonetheless, although histamine levels in dairy products are not subject to any regulation, important outbreaks and severe adverse health effects have been reported due to intake of dairy products with a high histamine content, especially ripened cheeses. Histamine, a biogenic amine, can accumulate in dairy products as a result of the metabolism of starter and nonstarter lactic acid bacteria, as well as yeasts that contribute to the ripening or flavoring of the final product, or even as a result of spoilage bacteria. The aim of this review is to describe the microbiological causes of the presence of histamine in fermented milk products, and to propose control measures and potential methods for obtaining histamine-free dairy products. Thus, this manuscript focuses on histamine-producing microbiota in dairy products, highlighting the detection of histamine-producing bacteria through traditional and novel techniques. In addition, this review aims to explore control measures to prevent the access of histamine-producing microbiota to raw materials, as well as the formation of histamine in dairy products, such as a careful selection of starter cultures lacking the ability to produce histamine, or even the implementation of effective food processing technologies to reduce histamine-producing microbiota. Finally, the removal of histamine already formed in dairy products through histamine-degrading microorganisms or by enzymatic degradation will also be explored.

Keywords: DAO; NSLAB; biogenic amines; cheese; dairy products; hdcA; histamine-producing microbiota.