Accelerated Fermentation Process for the Manufacture of Fish Sauce Using Histidine

Addition of histidine accelerated hydrolysis of fish protein during fermentation in the manufacture of fish sauce and after 4 mo fermentation yielded a product typical of traditional fish sauce. The liquefaction rate of the histidine-treated sauce was faster than that of the control. The degree of hydrolysis was much greater in the histidine-added sauces than in the control. Most amino acids were higher in the histidine sauces compared to commercial patis sauce (as reference). Addition of histidine to the fish mixture during fermentation did not increase the histamine content of the sauces.