Fish poisoning

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Classification according to ICD-10
T61.0 Ciguatera fish poisoning
T61.1 Scombroid fish poisoning
T61.8 Other poisoning from fish and shellfish
ICD-10 online (WHO version 2019)

Fish poisoning is food poisoning that can be caused by various toxins , such as: B. by histamine , azaspiracid , botulinum toxin and okadaic acid .

Some toxins enter the food chain through mussels , but sometimes also through mussel- eating animals such as fish and crabs .

Tetrodotoxin or fugu poison (poison of the hedgehog or puffer fish ) is one of the most effective known poisons.

The cause of Ciguatera , a special form of fish poisoning, is located in one of a seaweed ( dinoflagellates ) formed neurotoxin bound, through the food chain passes into the fish, but does not work for them. There is no antidote .

Histamine poisoning

Secondary contamination

Canned fish are usually almost aseptic. However, if protein-containing foods are contaminated with Enterobacteriaceae after opening the packaging , the bacteria form amines .

Enterobacter aerogenes are often found in spoiled tuna , which, if stored unrefrigerated, produce a sufficient amount of histamine within a day to cause histamine poisoning with typical symptoms such as headache and stomach ache, vomiting, circulatory problems, itching and reddening of the skin after consumption.

Scrombroid poisoning

Scrombroid poisoning, which is usually benign, is named after the mackerel-like (Scrombroidae) , whose rather dark meat contains certain amounts of histidine , which is converted into histamine by decarboxylase . The enzyme decarboxylase is produced by gram-negative bacteria such as Proteus and Escherichia coli . The bacteria multiply especially at temperatures above 16 ° C. The poisoning is often caused by the consumption of tuna , mackerel , golden mackerel , sardines , anchovies , herrings , blue perch , (Japanese) seriola and spearfish .

Food safety

An increased histamine content cannot be determined in terms of taste. Cooking and freezing do not reduce histamine. The fish is not perceived as spoiled. Prevention is only possible through continuous cooling of the fish.

According to EU law, food business operators who manufacture, process or market fishery products from fish species with high levels of histamine , have special hygiene requirements to ensure acceptable products. A measured value of no more than 200 mg histamine / kg fish meat is determined as a food safety criterion and at the same time limit value for the marketability of the food, which must be guaranteed during the entire specified shelf life or the expected time until consumption. The higher limit of 400 mg / kg applies to fishery products that have undergone enzymatic ripening in salt solution (e.g. anchoses , matjes ) and fish sauce produced through fermentation . Species of the fish families Scombridae , Clupeidae , Engraulidae , Coryfenidae ( Coryphaenidae ), Pomatomidae and Scombraesosidae (presumably meant: Scomberesocidae ) are listed as microbiologically questionable . Anyone who nevertheless manufactures such food or puts it on the market is liable to prosecution in Germany even in the case of negligence and without concrete demonstrable consequences of poisoning or injury. The EU limit values ​​and the evaluation as a criminal offense correspond to those of the German Fish Hygiene Ordinance from 1994 and the one valid until 2007 from 2000, but the list of fish species has changed.

Symptoms and their treatment

The reaction is similar to an acute allergic reaction and can vary greatly depending on the person affected. Burning of the lips can become noticeable within a short time. Skin reddening almost always occurs within up to three hours . There are also frequent headaches, nausea , diarrhea , stomach cramps and hives or angioedema that last up to two days. In severe cases, shortness of breath, swelling of the tongue and impaired vision can occur.

As with other food intolerances, antihistamines (H1 and H2 receptor blockers) and, in worse cases, epinephrine can be taken for treatment .

Web links

Wiktionary: Fish poisoning  - explanations of meanings, word origins, synonyms, translations

Individual evidence

  1. ^ RF Clark, SR Williams, SP Nordt, AS Manoguerra: A review of selected seafood poisonings. In: Undersea & Hyperbaric Medicine. Volume 26, Number 3, 1999, pp. 175-184, ISSN  1066-2936 . PMID 10485519 .
  2. ↑ P. Visciano, M. Schirone, R. Tofalo, G. Suzzi: Histamine poisoning and control measures in fish and fishery products. In: Frontiers in Microbiology. Volume 5, 2014, p. 500, ISSN  1664-302X . doi: 10.3389 / fmicb.2014.00500 . PMID 25295035 . PMC 4172148 (free full text).
  3. ^ Brockhaus ABC chemistry. VEB FA Brockhaus Verlag, Leipzig 1965, p. 416.
  4. ↑ CVUA Stuttgart, Dr. Petra Tichaczek-Dischinger: Formation of histamine in tuna by Enterobacter aerogenes , April 19, 2012
  5. ↑ CVUA Stuttgart, K. Schreihans, S. Horlacher and Dr. Petra Tichaczek-Dischinger: Formation of histamine in tuna by Enterobacter aerogenes , March 28, 2012
  6. ↑ a b Prof. Dr. Michael Christ: Scombroid Poisoning - Did You Know? , published May 6, 2012
  7. ↑ a b Scrombroid fish poisoning , In: Ärzteblatt.de; A1-1946 (42) Deutsches Ärzteblatt 90, issue 27, July 9, 1993; sources are mentioned: I.) Maire, R., K. Dreiding, PA Wyss: Incidence and Clinic of Scombroid Fish Poisoning. II.) Switzerland. Med. Wochenschrift 1992; 122: 1933-1935. Medical Polyclinic, Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital Zurich; Swiss Toxicological Information Center (STIZ) Zurich
  8. ↑ on this and on the following: Art. 3 Paragraph 1 and Art. 5 of Regulation (EC) No. 2073/2005 of the Commission of November 15, 2005 on microbiological criteria for food (consolidated version of February 28, 2019), in their Appendix 1 items 1.26 and 1.27 with footnote 17 on histamine
  9. ↑ §58 Abs. 2 and §5 Abs. 1 LFGB in connection with Art. 14 VO (EG) No. 178/2002
  10. ↑ § 16 para. 1 no. 2 of the version dated March 31, 1994 only herring and marrow fish or, for the higher limit value, anchovies matured in salt, § 16 para. 1 no. 2 of the version dated June 8, 2000 additionally for the lower limit value anchovies, Coryphaenidae and Istiophoridae (sailfish).
  11. ↑ Scrombroid Poisoning , In: Dermatologie.de; accessed in March 2020