Histamine Expert Working Group
Background:
At the 32nd Session of Codex Committee on Fish and Fishery Products (CFFP) held in Bali, Indonesia
from the 1-5 October 2012, the Committee agreed to establish an electronic Working Group led by Japan
and the United States of America to prepare a discussion paper on histamine following the Joint FAO and
WHO Expert Meeting on the Public Health Risks of Histamine and Other Biogenic Amines from Fish and
Fishery Products had been held from 23 to 27 July 2012. The expert meeting concluded that histamine
is not a reliable indicator of decomposition in fish and decided to focus on its use for consumer
protection. The expert meeting agreed that a dose of 50 mg of histamine the no-observed-adverse effect
level (NOAEL) that could be used as the appropriate hazard level and based on a serving size of 250 g,
the level of histamine that would not cause adverse effects in consumers would therefore be 200 mg/kg.
The meeting developed a comprehensive list of fish associated with scombroid fish poisoning (SFP). The
meeting concluded that the risk from SFP is best mitigated by applying basic GHPs and where feasible,
HACCP systems, the effectiveness of which are verified by appropriate sampling plans and testing
procedures. In order to provide more explicit guidance on sampling approaches, the meeting analysed a
range of sampling plans implemented under different scenarios of histamine levels as defined by mean
and standard deviation and presented examples of attribute sampling plans appropriate for different
levels of tolerance for samples above 200 mg/kg. Due to time constraints, it was identified that further
work needed to be undertaken and the matter was referred for discussion at the 33rd Session of CCFFP.
At the 33rd Session of CCFFP, held in Bergen, Norway on the 17-21st February 2014 a rigorous discussion
around this topic ensued and it was noted that further work was required and that the full report of the
Expert Meeting needed to be considered in order to do so. In order to achieve this, the Committee
proposed to establish an eWG chaired by Japan and the United States of America and working in English
only, with the following terms of reference:
1. Review existing histamine related guidance in the Code of Practice for Fish and Fishery Products
(CAC/RCP 52-2003) and any guidance documents used in member countries to decide whether
the current Code is sufficient for histamine control guidance;
2. Consider inclusion of the susceptible species list contained in Table 2.3 of the Joint FAO/WHO
Expert Meeting;
3. Continue to consider the application of an uncertainty factor and the safety limits for histamine
in the standards for fish and fishery products and make recommendations on these limits, and to
consider other risk management options, e.g. consumer advice, and whether there was a need
for the decomposition limits in the standards; and continue to consider appropriate sampling
plans for histamine.
4. Assess how the CCFFP might use the expert advice and make recommendations with respect to
approaches that the CCFFP could consider to integrate the advice into the relevant Standards
and relevant sections of the Code of Practice on Fish and Fishery Products, taking into account
the fact that histamine can be easily controlled by applying GHP and/or HACCP;
The Australian and New Zealand CCFFP delegations will be participating in the Electronic Working
Group on Histamine and SafeFish has registered to be a panel member in these discussions. To aid in
this process, SafeFish have created an Expert Working Group who will investigate and assess the
following objectives to formulate an Australian position which will be submitted to the Australian
delegation for consideration.
SafeFish Key Objectives:
1. Consider histamine management tools including HACCP/GHP in Australian (and New Zealand)
practices to determine their effectiveness
2. Determine if the development and application of an uncertainty factor for Histamine in
Australian seafood would be effective and/or necessary. If so:
a. Determine options for an appropriate uncertainty factor
b. Investigate the practicalities of applying these options e.g. impact on chemical assays
used and sampling plans required
3. Review and update the susceptible species list to include appropriate Australian seafood species
4. Provide input into points 1 to 4 of the Codex eWG above.
Associated Documents:
1. Electronic Working Group ‘Draft Discussion Paper on Histamine’. To help initiate and focus the
work, the US and Japan have created a starting Draft Discussion Paper that will be revised as
needed by the EWG. The Draft contains discussions in each area of our terms of reference and
contains tentative recommendations based on assessment of past discussions and possible
consensus in these areas.
Note: Attached as PDF to email.
2. (CAC/RCP 52-2003) Code of Practice for Fish and Fishery Products
Link: ftp://ftp.fao.org/codex/publications/Booklets/Practice_code_fish/CCFFP_2012_EN.pdf
Note: See histamine related sections.
3. CX/FFP 12/32/14 Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme Codex Committee on Fish and
Fishery Products: Discussion Paper Histamine for 32nd CCFFP
Link: ftp://ftp.fao.org/codex/meetings/ccffp/ccffp32/fp32_14e.pdf
4. Meeting minutes from CCFFP 32
Link: ftp://ftp.fao.org/codex/reports/reports_2013/REP13_FFPe.pdf
Note: See histamine related sections.
5. Meeting Report of the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Meeting on the Public Health Risks of Histamine
and Other Biogenic Amines from Fish and Fishery Products; 23–27 July 2012.
Link:
http://www.fao.org/fileadmin/user_upload/agns/news_events/Histamine_Final_Report.pdf
6. CX/FFP 14/33/12 Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme Codex Committee on Fish and
Fishery Products: Discussion Paper on Histamine for 33rd CCFFP
Link: ftp://ftp.fao.org/codex/meetings/ccffp/ccffp33/fp33_12e.pdf
7. Meeting minutes from CCFFP 33
Link:
http://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=web&cd=2&ved=0CCo
QFjAB&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.codexalimentarius.org%2Finput%2Fdownload%2Freport%
2F900%2FREP14_FFPe_Rev.pdf&ei=vhIRVKCUKYqjugThqIKwCQ&usg=AFQjCNEs8FvOfePmGN
NEcV0RPqKvLDc-vw&bvm=bv.74894050,d.c2E
Note: See histamine related sections.
8. TOR for histamine eWG from CCFFP 33
Note: See above in background text.
9. FAO/WHO Histamine Sampling Tool
Link: http://www.fstools.org/histamine/