Do not store enough cold, retail marine fish in the market may be contaminated with poisoning

A previous study by the National Institute of Nutrition showed that chilled marine fish that did not guarantee freezing temperatures could lead to a high risk of food poisoning due to fish contaminated with histamine.

Bacteria do not decompose at high temperatures

Accordingly, the research team collected 150 fish samples on the market such as spiny scad, scad, and pliers, and snapper put into the study based on the quantitative risk assessment framework with two other storage conditions. each is 00C and 40C. The group compares the risk of food poisoning that may occur when fish are not stored cold enough at retail in most markets throughout the country.

Retail marine fish in many markets are preliminarily chilled.

Some bacteria detected related to histamine generation are: m.morganii, klebsiella pneumoniae, proteus, clostridium and vibrio. In it, the bacteria m.morganii is in 72/150 samples, accounting for 48%, the average density is 81 bacteria / gram. This is a bacterium that is able to convert histidine to histamine higher than other bacteria. It is a bacillus belonging to the group of intestinal bacteria, which exists in soil, water and digestive environment of humans and animals.

The study also showed that histamine content in polluted samples at the end of each stage of distribution, transportation, processing . is completely different. When changing the storage temperature in the process from frozen to cooling, retail, the amount of histamine-producing bacteria has been significantly changed, thereby increasing the concentration of histamine from 0.8 to 104mg / kg at room temperature. .

More dangerous is that heating in the cooking process can only kill bacteria, but their enzymes persist and continue to produce histamine. Therefore, the amount of histamine in the dish after cooking is also equal to the amount of histamine that consumers will expose when eating. Therefore, it is only safe to preserve marine fish at 00C.

Retail cannot be refrigerated

Survey of reporters at a number of markets in Ho Chi Minh City such as An Phu Dong Market (Q12), Tan Son Nhat Market (Go Vap District), Tan Dinh (Q1) showed that the majority of marine fish are displayed for retail. on the trays, pots covered with ice. Ms. Tran Thi Phuong, a small trader at An Phu Dong market (Q12) said: 'Every time I pick up the goods, I sell a few dozen pounds of fish all day. If you don't sell it all, soak it in the ice box for some salt to keep it cold. When it comes to sale, it is a bit cold for ice, so it can't be cold much! '

Customers choose to buy marine fish at An Phu market, District 12, HCMC.

Mrs. Pham Ngoc Oanh, a small trader at Tan Son Nhat market, lamented: 'The money to buy chilled fish is very expensive, and it is necessary to sell it in a stone box for a day.' Pointing at a few marinated ice cubes on the sea-fish tray, she said: ' On the tray, I see a little ice, one day I lost ten thousand of stone money!'.

Talking about the above issue, Ms. Pham Minh Thu, former Head of Microbiological Chemistry Laboratory, Pasteur Institute in Ho Chi Minh City, said histamine is a biological amine related in the local immune system as well as maintaining the function. The physiology of the intestine and acts as a neurotransmitter. In food, histamine is produced in the metabolism of histidine of microorganisms. When histamine levels exceed permitted levels, food is contaminated with microorganisms, harmful to health.

Just a little ice cold to marinate sea fish all day.

The process of exploiting seafood from catching to consumption takes place for months. Fishing, cold storage, preliminary processing, freezing, wholesale, retail, processing at the kitchen and consumption, if the retail stage is unsatisfactory, the food can be completely contaminated. Ideally, women in the market should choose fresh marine fish food, most noticeable is the clear, black fish, pressed on the fish meat is tough, not friable and should buy this kind of food at the facilities. Frozen department is reputable. However, the preservation and processing after buying at the kitchen also need to pay attention to clean, if the fish has not yet eaten, it should be frozen, ensuring the necessary coldness.

Histamine poisoning, also known as allergic reaction , has symptoms such as hives, eczema, diarrhea and bronchospasm . if after eating marine fish, there are symptoms of itching and hives. First aid can be given by giving patients an anti-allergy medication, if they have to go to the nearest medical facility for examination and treatment.

If you have mild diarrhea, you can take a pack of smecta, you have to go to the hospital for testing and find out that bacteria causing acute diarrhea must use antibiotics. Usually people with atopic conditions such as bronchitis, allergic rhinitis, eczema, and psoriasis should be cautious when eating marine fish.

Dr. Le Thanh Ly, Nguyen Truong Department of Internal Medicine, Cho Ray Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City