Abstract
Formation of five biogenic amines in 6 iced, temperatureabused tropical fish, and in temperate water Atlantic mackerel was investigated. Spermidine did not change, while histamine, cadaverine, putrescine, and spermine varied differently in the tropical fish. Histamine was significantly higher in skipjack (Euthynnus pelamis), rabbitfish (Siganus oramin), and little mackerel (Rastrelliger kanagurta). Cadaverine and putrescine were significantly higher in skipjack and little mackerel but not in rabbitfish. Only histamine and spermine were significantly different in rabbitfish. Skipjack, rabbitfish and little mackerel are potentially scom-brotoxic. Parrotfish (Callyodon gutatus), barracuda (Sphyraena japonica) and scavengerfish (Lethrinus nebulosus) showed no evidence of potential scombrotoxicity. The 5 amines were higher in ungutted mackerel than in the tropical fish. Iced, eviscerated tropical fish have a much lower potential for scombrotoxicity than ungutted temperate mackerel stored under comparable time/temperature conditions.