Copper Chelation Assay for Histamine in Tuna

A reported copper chelation method for histamine determination was modified for use in decomposing yellowfin tuna steaks. The assay consisted of histamine extraction with hot methanol, purification by rapid cation exchange chromatography, and addition of copper and a dye to the purified sample to form an easily visualized red complex with the histamine. This method detected histamine in the low mg% range in yellowfin tuna steaks with an accuracy comparable to the standard fluorometric histamine assay. It is an alternative to the standard assay when a visual test is desirable or a fluorometer is not available