Fried Rice Histamine Information

Fried rice, a ubiquitous Asian dish, can have varying effects on histamine levels based on its ingredients. Generally, fried rice contains rice, cooking oil, and a variety of vegetables, meats, eggs, or seafood depending on the recipe and individual preference. Where the basic ingredient, rice, is neither particularly high in histamine nor a histamine liberator, this staple is likely to have minimal impact on histamine levels (1). On the other hand, the inclusion of meats like ham or salami, or seafood items, which often feature in some versions of fried rice, may cause a significant increase in histamine levels due to their inherent properties (2). Likewise, certain vegetables used in fried rice may contain moderate histamine, such as tomatoes and mushrooms. Fried rice often requires cooking oil, typically vegetable oil, which does not add significantly to the dish's histamine content. However, fried rice is often paired with soy sauce or vinegar, two condiments listed among foods containing a high histamine level, potentially escalating histamine levels (3). If artificial preservatives or flavor enhancers such as MSG (glutamate) are used in the preparation of fried rice, they could act as histamine liberators (4). It's worth mentioning that certain ingredients that might serve to counteract the histamine level, such as certain herbs and spices with potential histamine-lowering properties, aren't typically found in most fried rice recipes. To conclude, while the impact of fried rice on histamine levels can be minimal with the primary ingredient of rice, the inclusion of high-histamine ingredients such as certain meats, seafood, and condiments can escalate the histamine level. Sources: 1. Maintz L, Novak N. Histamine and histamine intolerance. The American journal of clinical nutrition. 2007 May 1;85(5):1185-96. 2. EFSA Panel on Biological Hazards (BIOHAZ). Scientific Opinion on risk based control of biogenic amine formation in fermented foods. EFSA Journal. 2011 Oct;9(10):2393. 3. Joneja JM. Histamine intolerance update. Practical Gastroenterology 2011; 35(2): 14–26. 4. Reese I, Ballmer-Weber B, Beyer K, Fuchs T, Kleine-Tebbe J, Klimek L, Lepp U, Niggemann B, Saloga J, Schäfer C, Werfel T. German guideline for the management of adverse reactions to ingested histamine: Guideline of the German Society for Allergology and Clinical Immunology (DGAKI), the German Society for Pediatric Allergology and Environmental Medicine (GPA), the German Association of Allergologists (AeDA), and the Swiss Society for Allergy and Immunology (SGAI). Allergo journal international. 2017;26(2):72.