Histamine Check Swab rapid test stick | Kikkoman

1. Applications of the Histamine Check Swab rapid test

- The Histamine Check Swab rapid test (product code 60448) is used to analyse histamine in food samples (tuna, fish sauce, etc.) by means of a colorimetric reaction. The histamine test result can be read from the colour change of the reagent. Comparing the colour changes with the standard colour chart gives an indication of the histamine content.

- The Histamine Check Swab test simplifies the process of determining the histamine concentration in test samples, but it is not intended for quantification before using histamine or an official analytical method.

2. Measurement principle

- The test method of this product uses enzymes that act specifically on histamine. In the presence of a tetrazolium salt and an electron acceptor, histamine dehydrogenase reacts with the tetrazolium salt to form a formazan dye (purple).

- Because the formazan dye concentration varies with the histamine concentration, an approximate histamine concentration in the samples can be understood by comparing with the colour chart.

- The Histamine Check Swab is a rapid histamine screening test based on a colorimetric method. The test requires no measuring instrument, and the simple colour reaction allows results to be assessed in just 5 minutes. It can be used at all points in a processing plant, at the receiving dock, and anywhere else where food needs to be checked quickly for histamine.

- The Histamine test is the ideal choice for rapid screening of various fish products: raw fish, tuna flakes, fish sauce, etc., to check quality and to select which samples should be sent for further quantitative analysis.

3. Features and specifications of the Histamine Check Swab rapid test

- This product includes a bag of swabs, an extraction reagent and a colorimetric reagent produced to determine the histamine content. With this test kit, no other equipment such as a spectrophotometer is needed to check the histamine content of a sample visually.

- Specificity: This test method is not affected by other amines present in the sample, such as cadaverine or putrescine. However, colour development can occur even without histamine depending on the test sample and the pre-treatment (known as "false positive").

- Quantitative range: 20ppm - 80 ppm

- Test time: the reaction time of the reagent is about 5 minutes.

4. Procedure for the Histamine Check Swab rapid test

4.1. Procedure for rapid Histamine testing in tuna samples

- Take the product out of the refrigerator and leave the swab at room temperature (18 – 300C). Once it is at room temperature, the product should be used as quickly as possible. Dilute a test sample two to five times. Solid test samples should be minced. False positives can be prevented by heating the diluted sample.

- Pull the swab out of the main body.

- Soak the swab in the diluted sample. If the test sample is solid, do not allow any solid matter to adhere to the swab.

- Insert the swab into the main body and push it through the reagent section of the swab.

- Hold the main body and shake it. The remaining colorimetric reagent will dissolve completely.

- After five minutes, check the colour of the reaction solution. The colour of the test sample solution obtained after the reaction is compared with the colour chart supplied by the manufacturer.

4.2. Procedure for rapid Histamine testing in fish sauce

- Dilute the fish sauce with water 5 times.

- Pull the swab out of the main body.

- Soak the swab in the diluted sample.

- Insert the swab into the main body and push it through the reagent section of the swab.

- Hold the main body and shake it. The remaining colorimetric reagent will dissolve completely.

- After five minutes, check the colour of the reaction solution. The colour of the test sample solution obtained after the reaction is compared with the colour chart supplied by the manufacturer.

4.3. Reading the results

- Histamine content in the test sample (ppm) = histamine content determined from the colour chart (ppm) x factor**

** if the sample is diluted five times

5. Precautions for use

- The Histamine Check Swab rapid test is intended for screening and application in histamine analysis. This product is not an accurate quantitative test of histamine content.

- Histamine readily adheres to glass, so plastic consumables should be used to prepare samples.

- False positives and inaccurate results in histamine testing occur depending on the test sample.

- Make sure to follow the instructions supplied with the product before use.

- The swabs are stored at 2 to 8 °C; bring the swabs to room temperature (18 to 300C) before use.