Scombroidosis: the dangerous poisoning from eating spoiled tuna

These days, a video of a couple has gone viral on social media that tells how, after eating in a restaurant during their vacation, they ended up in the hospital's emergency room just an hour after paying the bill and covered in stains all over their bodies. body. Guilty? A batch of tuna in poor condition that caused a disease with a very curious name: scombroidosis.

What happened?

When a fish is not preserved properly or is poorly refrigerated, its flesh begins to decompose due to the action of bacteria.. But there are certain types of fish that contain high levels of histidine completely naturally.. In this case, these bacteria will transform histidine into histamine, which when ingested will cause us to become poisoned.

Does this only happen with tuna?

Not really. It is something that can occur especially with species of dark-fleshed fish that live in deep waters, the so-called scombroid fish.. This is the case of tuna, bonito or mackerel.. But it can also occur when we eat non-scombroid fish such as salmon, sardines or herring.

Is histamine to blame?

The excess of it. Any fresh fish contains approximately 1 milligram of histamine per 100 grams of fish.. In these species we are talking about there are usually about 20 milligrams, which is quite a lot but does not reach the limit of 50 milligrams established by the FDA for tuna.. But if we go to a poorly preserved dark meat fish, a concentration of up to 400 milligrams of histamine can be reached.. Allergic reaction is guaranteed.

What if I cook the fish well before eating it?

It will not be of any use since histamine is resistant to heat, it will not be destroyed no matter how high the temperature is when cooking.. That is why good refrigeration and conservation is essential from the moment it is caught until it is cooked.

Is this an unusual poisoning?

Not at all. It is very likely that it is not familiar to you because it is often confused with other pathologies, but it is one of the most common poisoning caused by spoiled fish throughout the world.. Although it is true, it is much more common in countries where the conservation and transportation of fish is carried out without adequate controls and in a rudimentary way.

Should they have noticed something when eating it?

It goes quite unnoticed, since these increased levels of histamine will not affect the appearance of the fish or its color, smell or texture.. What we can notice is a certain spicy or metallic flavor, but it can be overshadowed if we accompany the fish with a sauce or other condiment.

What are the symptoms?

They are like any allergic reaction and can appear a few minutes after eating spoiled fish or up to two hours later.

We may have symptoms such as red spots on the skin, a tingling sensation in the mouth, chills, itching, sweating, headache, vomiting or diarrhea.. In severe cases we may experience dizziness, low blood pressure or breathing problems, but generally the symptoms are mild or moderate.

Should I go to the emergency room?

This is something that will depend largely on the symptoms, age and state of health prior to the poisoning.. It is not very common to diagnose this disease because in mild cases many patients do not go to the emergency room, especially considering that the symptoms generally disappear without further ado in about 8 or 12 hours.

Can I eat fish again?

After suffering an episode of scombroidosis, you can eat fish again, even the same type of fish, without any problem. Of course, making sure that it has been well preserved.