Dried fish is a good source of inexpensive, high-quality protein for the indigent population. Moreover, dried fish products have been a staple food in northern Iloilo, especially in the coastal communities. One of the disadvantages of the product is the susceptibility of the raw materials and finished products to contamination. Histamine is an essential biochemical property of dried fish used as an indicator of quality and safety in fish and fishery products. Thus, this study’s main thrust is to determine the histamine content of the commonly consumed dried fish in Northern Iloilo. This research utilized a descriptive research design. A food frequency questionnaire was utilized in obtaining responses from the consumers. Dried fish samples were bought from the three major sources of dried fish in Iloilo such as Carles, Concepcion, and Estancia, and were brought to the laboratory for analysis. Results revealed that there were twenty-five (25) commonly consumed dried fish in Northern Iloilo. Moreover, the top five dried fish commodities were tabagak, baringon, danggit, sapsap, and dalinuan. Regarding the histamine content, results showed that “baringon” obtained from Carles has a histamine content of 238.45 mg/kg exceeding the regulatory limit set by FAO which is 200 mg/kg. From the dried fish samples obtained from Concepcion, two of the five dried fish products: “tabagak” and “baringon”, which have a histamine content of 370.55 mg/kg and 215.48 mg/kg, respectively, exceed the regulatory limit. In dried fish samples from Estancia, only “baringon” had a histamine content (250.16 mg/kg) exceeding the established limit.
dried fish, Northern Iloilo, consumers, histamine content, food safety
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