Icing Practices' Impact on Scombrotoxin Formation in Atlantic Mackerel

The formation of 5 biogenic amines in ungutted Atlantic mackerel with a daily change of ice showed that histamine remained below 10 ppm for 13 days post-mortem. In the control experiment with no ice change, histamine and putrescine significantly increased after 7 and 9 days, respectively. The ratios of cadaverine/histamine, putrescine/his-tamine, and (cadaverine+putrescine)/histamine were statistically significant with treatment, but only cadaverine/histamine and (cadaverine+ putrescine)/histamine were also significant with time. Time and treatment interacted to significantly influence all three ratios. The Atlantic mackerel stored in ice that was changed daily accumulated less scombrotoxic and spoilage amines, and, therefore, the daily change of ice has the potential of increasing its shelf life and minimizing the likelihood of scombrotoxicity due to the accumulation of scombrotoxic amines to hazardous levels during storage.