Histamine can build up in fish from species high in histidine, particularly the families that include tuna and mackerel, herring and sardines, and anchovies. Point 1.25 of Annex I to Regulation (EC) No 2073/2005 sets histamine limits for these fishery products.
189 notifications since 1 January 2020 named histamine, under 1% of all EU notifications in that time. 25 in the 365 days to 8 November 2026, against 23 in the 365 days before, up 9%. 4% were border rejections and 96% had a serious risk decision.
The origins named most often were Sri Lanka (32), Spain (25) and the Netherlands (18). The product categories named most often were fish and fish products (185), milk and milk products (3) and prepared dishes and snacks (1). The products named most often were tuna (97), mackerel (29) and anchovies (26).
Explainer sources, checked 18 October 2026: Commission Regulation (EC) No 2073/2005 on microbiological criteria, Annex I; Microbiological criteria, European Commission.
Counts start on 1 January 2020 and run to 8 November 2026, the day the list was last read. A notification that names two countries of origin counts for each. Findings come from our word list matched against the EU subject line, which is never shown; 96% of all notifications match it, the rest count as other finding. Each reference links to the official record on RASFF Window. How this works.
Latest notifications that named histamine
The newest 25 of 189, newest first, each built from fixed word lists. The reference opens the official record.
- Alert notified by Italy: histamine in tuna from India, risk decision serious, reference 2026.9247, validated 19 October 2026.
- Information for attention notified by Italy: histamine in tuna from Spain, risk decision serious, reference 2026.8998, validated 9 October 2026.
- Information for attention notified by Italy: histamine in tuna from France, risk decision serious, reference 2026.8750, validated 2 October 2026.
- Information for attention notified by the Netherlands: histamine in mackerel from the Netherlands, risk decision serious, reference 2026.8398, validated 22 September 2026.
- Information for attention notified by Italy: histamine in anchovies from Albania, risk decision serious, reference 2026.8375, validated 22 September 2026.
- Information for attention notified by Germany: histamine in sardines from Morocco, risk decision serious, reference 2026.8254, validated 17 September 2026.
- Alert notified by the Netherlands: histamine in mackerel from the Netherlands, risk decision serious, reference 2026.7851, validated 4 September 2026.
- Information for attention notified by Italy: histamine in tuna from Ecuador and Italy, risk decision serious, reference 2026.7440, validated 23 August 2026.
- Information for attention notified by Belgium: histamine in herring from the Netherlands, risk decision serious, reference 2026.7176, validated 13 August 2026.
- Alert notified by Italy: histamine in tuna from Italy and Spain, risk decision serious, reference 2026.6262, validated 14 July 2026.
- Information for attention notified by Greece: histamine in tuna from Türkiye, risk decision serious, reference 2026.5438, validated 19 June 2026.
- Information for attention notified by the Netherlands: histamine in tuna from Sri Lanka, risk decision serious, reference 2026.5262, validated 15 June 2026.
- Information for attention notified by the Netherlands: histamine in sardines from the Netherlands, risk decision serious, reference 2026.5130, validated 10 June 2026.
- Information for attention notified by the Netherlands: histamine in sardines from France, risk decision serious, reference 2026.4647, validated 27 May 2026.
- Alert notified by Sweden: histamine in herring from Poland, risk decision serious, reference 2026.3097, validated 13 April 2026.
- Information for attention notified by the Netherlands: histamine in mackerel from Spain, risk decision serious, reference 2026.3015, validated 9 April 2026.
- Alert notified by Spain: histamine in sardines from Morocco and Spain, risk decision serious, reference 2026.2767, validated 31 March 2026.
- Information for attention notified by France: histamine in sardines from Tunisia, risk decision serious, reference 2026.0504, validated 21 January 2026.
- Alert notified by Italy: histamine in anchovies from Italy, risk decision serious, reference 2026.0002, validated 2 January 2026.
- Alert notified by Italy: histamine in tuna from Spain, risk decision serious, reference 2025.9950, validated 11 December 2025.
- Alert notified by Italy: histamine in anchovies from Italy, risk decision serious, reference 2025.9786, validated 8 December 2025.
- Alert notified by Germany: histamine in cheese from Italy, risk decision serious, reference 2025.9758, validated 5 December 2025.
- Alert notified by the Netherlands: histamine in fish fillets from China, risk decision serious, reference 2025.9665, validated 3 December 2025.
- Information for attention notified by the Netherlands: histamine in tuna from Sri Lanka, risk decision serious, reference 2025.9567, validated 1 December 2025.
- Alert notified by Austria: histamine in anchovies from Italy, risk decision serious, reference 2025.9519, validated 28 November 2025.
Other natural plant and marine toxins: pyrrolizidine alkaloids, THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), hydrocyanic acid.
The numbers
| Year | Notifications |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 17 |
| 2021 | 32 |
| 2022 | 36 |
| 2023 | 30 |
| 2024 | 30 |
| 2025 | 25 |
| 2026 (to 8 Nov 2026) | 19 |
| Type | Notifications | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Border rejection | 8 | 4% |
| Alert | 65 | 34% |
| Information for follow up | 3 | 2% |
| Information for attention | 113 | 60% |
| Risk decision | Notifications | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Serious | 182 | 96% |
| Potentially serious | 2 | 1% |
| Potential risk | 4 | 2% |
| Undecided | 1 | under 1% |
| Product | Notifications |
|---|---|
| Tuna | 97 |
| Mackerel | 29 |
| Anchovies | 26 |
| Sardines | 23 |
| Cheese | 3 |
| Herring | 2 |
| Fish fillets | 1 |
| Pizza | 1 |
| Salmon | 1 |
| Trout | 1 |
| Origin | Notifications | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Sri Lanka | 32 | 17% |
| Spain | 25 | 13% |
| Netherlands | 18 | 10% |
| Italy | 16 | 8% |
| France | 15 | 8% |
| Morocco | 15 | 8% |
| Vietnam | 12 | 6% |
| Origin not given | 8 | 4% |
| China | 6 | 3% |
| India | 6 | 3% |
| Albania | 5 | 3% |
| Poland | 4 | 2% |
| Product category | Notifications | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Fish and fish products | 185 | 98% |
| Milk and milk products | 3 | 2% |
| Prepared dishes and snacks | 1 | under 1% |
| Notifying country | Notifications | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Italy | 44 | 23% |
| Netherlands | 42 | 22% |
| France | 23 | 12% |
| Spain | 18 | 10% |
| Belgium | 15 | 8% |
| Sweden | 9 | 5% |
| Germany | 6 | 3% |
| Ireland | 4 | 2% |
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