Determination of histamine in different compositions of commercially canned fish in Indonesia by modified QuEChERS and LC-MS/MS

Histamine distribution in different canned fish products collected from supermarkets in Indonesia was investigated using modified QuEChERS and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS). The matrix effects were compensated with the dilution of sample extract and the standard addition calibration curves. The developed method showed a satisfying performance according to method validation and FAPAS proficiency testing (high level >50 mg/kg), resulting in a z-score of 0.3. The results demonstrated that histamine content in all collected canned fish samples from foreign manufacturers was lower than those in local manufacturers. Histamine level of >50 mg/kg occurred in some products, including tuna (1 product), sardines (3 products), and mackerel (1 product). Intriguingly, we found that canned fish products containing spices and/or herbs possessed a lower content of histamine in comparison with other products grouped by their compositions. Based on this finding, a routine surveillance is needed to monitor the level of histamine in canned fish products in Indonesia.