Dried salt-cured fish are highly regarded among consumers in many countries due to the characteristic
flavours and storage stability. A temperature-dependent growth of extremely halophilic microorganisms
may occur during prolonged storage resulting in red discolouration which limits the shelf life of these
products. Halophilic microorganisms require a NaCl concentration of minimum 20 g/100 g product for
growth and they are often strongly proteolytic. Histamine formed by microbial decarboxylation of free
histidine can be a major problem in seafood safety. The aim of the present study was to examine the
growth of halophilic microorganisms in commercial dried salt-cured cod and to determine the histamine
content in products with extensive growth of these microorganisms. The results showed that halophilic
microorganisms were present in dried salt-cured cod products obtained from the selected commercial
producers and they multiplied rapidly at 35 C. The initial level of the halophilic microorganisms varied
among the products from different producers and also within products from the same producer. The
levels of histamine remained low even in products with extensive growth of halophilic microorganisms.
This shows that consumption of dried salt-cured cod products is not associated with risk of histamine
poisoning.