Inhibitory Effects of High-Hydrostatic-Pressure Processing on Growth and Histamine Formation of Histamine-Forming Bacteria in Yellowfin Tuna Meat during Storage

SIMPLE SUMMARY: High-hydrostatic-pressure treatment effectively inhibited the growth and histamine formation of histamine-forming bacteria species in tuna meat during storage at low temperatures. Our findings can be used to enhance food safety and decrease the risk of histamine poisoning associated with consumption of tuna meat products. ABSTRACT: In the research, we evaluated the effects of high-pressure processing (HPP) on the growth and histamine formation of histamine-forming bacteria (HFB) in yellowfin tuna meat during storage. Tuna meat samples inoculated with the individual HFB species Morganella morganii and Photobacterium phosphoreum were subjected to HPP treatment at 250, 350, 450, and 550 MPa for 5 min, and the changes in bacterial count, total volatile basic nitrogen (TVBN) content, pH, and histamine content during storage at 4 and 15 °C were analyzed. The results indicate that the bacterial counts of the HFB species decreased significantly with increasing pressure, and HFB became undetectable in the samples treated at 450 and 550 MPa. At a storage temperature of 15 °C, the bacterial counts of both HFB species in the control group and samples subjected to HPP treatment at 250 and 350 MPa increased significantly with storage time. The bacterial counts of M. morganii in the samples stored at 4 °C decreased, whereas those of P. phosphoreum increased gradually owing to its psychrophilic nature. HPP treatment (>250 MPa) inhibited the increases in pH and TVBN content of the samples stored at 15 °C and delayed histamine formation in the samples during storage; these effects were more significant as the pressure during HPP treatment was increased.