RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN HISTAMINE CONTENT AND BACTERIAL-FLORA OF KUSAYA GRAVY

The numbers of both histamine-decomposing and histamine-producing bact eria and the histamine contents of Kusaya gravy were studied in 5 samp les obtained from manufacturers in Niijima, Oshima and Chichijima Isla nds. The histamine-metabolic bacteria were classified at the genus lev el in all samples. Kusaya gravy had only few histamine-producing bacte ria and 10(4) similar to 10(6) cells/ml of histamine-decomposing bacte ria. The pH values of Kusaya gravy were in the optimal range for bacte rial histamine decomposition. From these results, it is assumed that h istamine hardly accumulates in Kusaya gravy. Large numbers of bacteria of genus Alcaligenes were detected as histamine-decomposing bacteria in all samples. However, most of the histamine-decomposing activity wa s found in the minority flora of Kusaya gravy.