Neogen adds histamine rapid test to food safety testing products

Neogen has expanded its line of food safety testing solutions with the release of a new rapid test for histamine. Reveal for Histamine is a single-step lateral flow assay based on a competitive immunoassay format intended for the visual screening at 50 ppm of histamine in scromboid species of fish, such as tuna and mahi-mahi.

“The Reveal method uses a simple water extraction and provides results in just five minutes after extraction,” said Ed Bradley, Neogen’s vice president for food safety. “These advantages can reduce testing time and eliminate chemical disposal concerns without sacrificing precision or accuracy,”

High levels of histamine may develop in a variety of fish species as they decompose. These species include tuna, mahi-mahi, marlin, blue fish, sardines, bonito, herring and mackerel. Ingestion of histamine may cause scromboid poisoning in humans, which may lead to a variety of symptoms, including rash, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, hypotension, heart palpitations and muscle weakness. Paralysis and death have also been reported in cases of scromboid poisoning.

Because of its potential for human illness, the FDA has ruled that extensive refrigeration records and/or histamine testing must be included in a HACCP program for relevant fish species. The FDA has set an action level of 50 ppm for histamine in domestic and imported fish.

Neogen Corporation develops and markets products dedicated to food and animal safety. The company’s Food Safety Division markets diagnostic test kits to detect foodborne bacteria, natural toxins, genetic modifications, food allergens, drug residues, plant diseases, and sanitation concerns, and dehydrated culture media.