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We receive this question almost every week, usually after a video on Instagram or TikTok. The short answer: no, that is not correct. We already wrote a blog about it last year, which has since become one of the most visited pages on our site. Because new research has emerged since then, we are providing an update here. Where does histamine actually come from? Histamine is not created by cooking. It forms when bacteria act on a substance in meat called histidine and convert it into histamine. This happens mainly when meat or bones are left at room temperature for too long, are not fresh enough, or are stored carelessly. Once formed, histamine does not disappear through cooking. But the cooking time itself does not create new histamine. Whether you simmer for two hours or thirty hours makes no difference in itself. What does matter is how fresh and hygienic your meat or bones were before they went into the pot. Is meat more sensitive than bones, then? Rather the other way around. Meat, especially minced or marinated meat, provides more nourishment for bacteria than bones do. Bones that are processed fresh or frozen contain less moisture and muscle tissue in which bacteria can grow. So presenting meat broth as a “safer alternative” is incorrect; the facts actually point in the opposite direction. What is new in 2025? Until recently, research on histamine mainly focused on one question: how many milligrams per kilogram does a product contain? A study published this year asks a more interesting question: how much of that histamine does your body actually absorb? Researchers compared two types of dry sausage, one with little histamine (357 mg per kilogram) and one with much more (1141 mg per kilogram, or more than three times as much). They then simulated digestion in the laboratory. The result: only 29 percent of the histamine from the high-histamine sausage was released in a form that could be absorbed by the body. For the low-histamine sausage, that figure was 72 percent. The difference on the label was therefore much greater than the difference your body ultimately takes in. In other words: the number in a laboratory analysis does not tell the whole story. The amount of histamine in a product is not automatically the same as the amount that ends up in your body. A second publication this year, a major review of histamine in food, also confirms the pattern we already knew: fresh, quickly processed meat generally contains little to no histamine. The highest levels are found in products that are aged or stored for a long time, such as mature cheese, dry sausage, and spoiled fish. One fair qualification: these two new studies examined dry sausage, not broth itself. As far as we know, no study has yet done exactly the same with broth. What does apply across foods, and therefore to broth as well, is this: bacteria present before preparation determine the histamine level, not the preparation method itself. Is histamine only found in meat, then? No. Histamine also occurs naturally in certain plants, independently of bacteria or spoilage. Research mainly identifies eggplant, spinach, tomatoes, and avocado as plant-based foods with significant histamine levels, although this varies greatly from one specimen to another. Is it really that harmful? Two things are often confused here. The first is acute food poisoning caused by severely spoiled fish or meat, with histamine levels far above what you would normally consume. This is real and well documented, which is precisely why freshness matters. The second is chronic histamine intolerance, in which normal amounts already cause symptoms. It exists, but the evidence behind it is less robust than it is often presented online. Estimates range from approximately 3 to 6 percent of the population, with no clear diagnostic test. Research into the DAO gene, which is responsible for breaking down histamine, has even found no clear difference in the occurrence of suspected risk variants between people with symptoms and people without them. For most people, the amount of histamine in ordinary food is simply not a problem. Why does this myth keep circulating? Because it sounds convincing and is easy to share. “Cooking for a long time is bad for you” is a simple message for a fifteen-second video. “It depends on how fresh your ingredients were before you started” is not. The strange thing is that today we can check for ourselves within a minute whether a claim is true, using Google or a language model such as ChatGPT or Claude. Yet the most assertive video still often wins out over a simple check. Even when the video comes from a dietitian: having a large number of followers is not proof, and repeating something without checking the source is still repeating something without checking the source. What remains the same: our recommendations Always use fresh or immediately frozen bones. Never leave meat or bones at room temperature, not even briefly. Cool your broth quickly after cooking. Do not use leftovers of questionable quality, no matter how long you cook them. What we do at HANT We use only fresh, halal-slaughtered beef bones, which we freeze immediately after receiving them. After simmering, we heat our broth in an industrial autoclave, which increases food safety by eliminating any bacteria that may be present after packaging. We also have our broth tested by an accredited laboratory. View the analysis report View our bone broth Sources Braga, D.E. et al. (2025). Dilute and shoot HPLC-fluorescence method for the quantification of free bioactive amines in dry-fermented sausage. Journal of Food Composition and Analysis, 141, 107340. Gloria, M.B.A. et al. (2025). Histamine in Brazilian Foods: A Comprehensive Review of Occurrence and Risk Assessment for Intoxication and Intolerance. Food Science & Nutrition. Matrix-dependent bioaccessibility of bioactive amines in Milano dry-fermented sausages after in vitro digestion (2025/2026), PubMed ID 42666533. US FDA, Fish and Fishery Products Hazards and Controls Guidance, 4th edition. EFSA Journal (2011), opinion on biogenic amines.

Bouillon and bone broth are meat products, and that determines how you should store them safely. We explain which three methods European and Belgian legislation permits, the real risks such as botulism and histamine, and why we consciously choose pressure sterilization in glass jars.

In this blog, numbers in parentheses refer to the sources listed at the bottom. Introduction: eating meat means slaughtering an animal To eat meat, an animal must be slaughtered. That is a biological reality that still applies today—meat is not grown in a laboratory, at least not on a large scale yet. The question, then, is not so much whether an animal is slaughtered, but how. The guiding principle must always be: as quickly, efficiently, cleanly, and painlessly as possible. This applies to every slaughter method, religious or otherwise. Nevertheless, halal slaughter regularly features in public debate, often amid misunderstandings about what it actually entails, whether it violates animal welfare, and whether or not it conflicts with Flemish legislation. In this blog, we examine this specifically for cattle in Flanders. What is halal slaughter? Halal slaughter is the Islamic method of slaughter. The word "halal" simply means "permitted" in Arabic—the opposite is "haram" (forbidden). Meat is only halal if the animal was slaughtered according to specific religious regulations. What does the Quran say? The basis of halal slaughter comes from three references in the Quran: Surah 5, verse 3, lists which foods are forbidden: an animal that was already dead before slaughter, blood, and an animal that was strangled or has fallen. The animal must be alive at the time of slaughter, and the blood must flow completely out of the body. Draining the blood has both a religious and a practical basis: blood provides a breeding ground for microorganisms, and removing it contributes to the shelf life of meat. Surah 6, verse 121, states that one may not eat animals over which the name of Allah (God in Arabic) has not been pronounced. This confirms that the animal is not killed pointlessly, but deliberately and in the name of God. Surah 6, verses 118–119, once again confirms that one may eat animals over which the name of Allah has been pronounced, and that one may rely on divine guidance regarding what is permitted. What does the Hadith say? The Hadith are accounts of the sayings and actions of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, recorded in the major collections. While the Quran provides the principles, the Hadith provides their practical application. The following rules for halal slaughter are derived from them: The slaughterer must be Muslim, Jewish, or Christian (a person of the Book) The knife must be razor-sharp; a blunt knife prolongs suffering The throat cut must be made in one smooth motion, not by sawing The knife must not be sharpened within the animal’s sight, as this causes fear Other animals must not watch during slaughter The animal must be calm and stress-free before slaughter The slaughter area must be clean and hygienic. The animal must bleed out completely before further procedures are carried out—this has a practical reason in addition to a religious one: residual blood in the meat promotes bacterial growth and shortens shelf life Conventional slaughter versus halal slaughter: what is the difference? In conventional, non-religious cattle slaughter, the animal is first stunned—either with a captive-bolt device in which a steel bolt is shot forcefully into the skull, or by means of an electric shock. In traditional halal slaughter without stunning, the animal’s throat is cut while it is conscious. This is the point over which debate exists—both scientifically and religiously. What does science say about pain during slaughter? A frequently cited study is the research by Professor Wilhelm Schulze of the University of Veterinary Medicine in Hanover, conducted between 1974 and 1978 (1)Using surgically implanted electrodes, EEG (brain activity) and ECG (heart activity) were measured in sheep and calves. With the Islamic throat cut, the EEG showed no change during the first three seconds. With the captive-bolt method, the animals appeared to be stunned, but more brain activity was measured than expected. The study remains controversial: it dates from the 1970s, its methodology was criticized, and Schulze himself pointed out that the captive-bolt device may not have functioned correctly in his experiments. For sheep, later EEG studies exist that confirm similar findings regarding relatively rapid loss of consciousness after a correct throat cut (2)For adult cattle, comparable confirmatory studies are lacking.  The American animal scientist Temple Grandin, internationally recognized as an expert in slaughterhouse design and animal behavior, also states that slaughterhouses that correctly implement the recommended halal practices cause the animal little pain. She emphasizes that animal suffering in slaughterhouses is more often related to poor execution than to the method itself—but generally prefers effective stunning beforehand (4). Stunning in conventional slaughter: not without problems either Stunning is often presented as the ultimate answer, but it also has problems. Research shows that stunning methods fail to effectively stun an animal in a significant number of cases; the reported percentages vary widely depending on the animal species and method used (5)With poultry that passes through an electrical water bath, stunning is insufficient for some of the animals, and they undergo throat cutting while conscious (6). Some animals are already dead before the throat cut because of failed stunning, meaning that, strictly speaking, the meat is no longer halal, but also no longer compliant with the general slaughter regulations. Animals that are stunned and slaughtered in groups see and hear their fellow animals suffering, causing severe stress. Moreover, the quality of stunning is difficult to monitor in practice: in an industrial slaughterhouse, hundreds of animals pass through the line per hour, making thorough individual checks virtually impossible. Flemish legislation: decree of 7 July 2017 In Flanders, slaughter without prior stunning has been prohibited since 1 January 2019, based on the Flemish decree of 7 July 2017 amending the law on the protection of animal welfare (7). It provides for a specific arrangement: the stunning must be reversible, and the animal's death must not result from the stunning. This means the animal remains technically alive at the time of the throat cut, meeting the Islamic requirement. For many halal certification bodies, reversible stunning before the throat cut is therefore permitted, although acceptability depends on the method used and the animal species. The penetrating captive-bolt device, which permanently damages the brain, is rejected by most bodies because the animal cannot recover from it. Its application is carefully assessed for each slaughterhouse and each case; the animal must not suffer unnecessarily, and the stunning must be carried out perfectly. The latter is not guaranteed in practice: even when stunning is performed before the throat cut, it fails in some cases, meaning the animal still undergoes the throat cut while conscious. Stunning after the throat cut, cattle: the legal exception Cattle are subject to a specific transitional measure: stunning after the throat cut. The reason is technical: when the decree was enacted, no broadly applicable and sufficiently reliable method for reversible stunning of adult cattle was available (7). Therefore, a temporary solution was provided: The cattle are slaughtered without prior stunning Immediately afterward, during or no more than 2 seconds after the throat cut, the animal is stunned with a captive-bolt device The animal is then unconscious and bleeds out This method is legally established as a transitional measure, pending the reliable application of reversible electrical stunning to large cattle as well. Flanders is no exception in this regard: within Europe, stunning after the throat cut is also legally required in Austria, Estonia, Latvia, and Greece (8). In most other European countries—including France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, and Poland—unstunned ritual slaughter is still fully permitted. Are we violating the law? No. Halal slaughter of cattle in Flanders, carried out with stunning after the throat cut in an approved slaughterhouse, fully complies with Flemish legislation. The 2017 decree explicitly provides for this as a lawful method for cattle, as long as electronarcosis for this species has not yet been perfected. Double oversight: FASFC and halal certification Slaughterhouses that carry out halal slaughter in Flanders are subject to two levels of oversight. The FASFC—the Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain—inspects all slaughterhouses for hygiene, animal welfare, and compliance with legislation. This is the standard statutory inspection for every slaughterhouse in Belgium. In addition to FASFC inspections, recognized halal certifiers conduct their own audits. They check whether slaughter complies with Islamic requirements: the presence of a Muslim slaughterer who knows the rules, the quality of the cut, the treatment of the animals before and during slaughter, and the cleanliness of the surroundings. Consequently, alongside statutory inspections, halal slaughterhouses are also checked by independent certifiers for compliance with religious requirements—an additional layer that does not exist in conventional slaughter. Stunning before the throat cut: accepted by Islamic scholars? A separate question is whether stunning before the throat cut can be halal. Islamic scholars and certification bodies are not unanimous on this, but a growing majority accepts it, provided that the stunning is reversible. (9)Various authoritative bodies and countries led the way: Egyptian Fatwa Committee (1978) Al-Azhar, one of the world's highest Islamic institutions (1982) Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Supreme Leader of Iran European Council for Fatwa and Research Malaysia, Indonesia and the Emirates In Turkey and Morocco, an increasing number of more modern slaughterhouses are in practice switching to stunning before the throat cut. Worldwide, it is currently estimated that 75% of halal beef is produced using stunning before the throat cut.(9). However, this does not mean that just any method is acceptable. The stunning must be correct, controlled, demonstrably reversible, validated on a case-by-case basis, and carried out under strict supervision. The penetrating captive-bolt device, which permanently damages the brain, is not accepted. It is precisely this combination of religious oversight on top of legal oversight that distinguishes halal slaughter from standard slaughtering practices. Final verdict Halal slaughter of cattle in Flanders using stunning after the throat cut is legally permitted and subject to a double layer of oversight. Scientific evidence shows that a skilled, rapid throat cut with a sharp knife leads to rapid loss of consciousness in sheep, although comparable, conclusive studies on adult cattle are lacking. Common stunning methods are likewise not without risks. Proponents argue that Islamic slaughter requirements are intended to minimize animal suffering as much as possible. Sources (1) Schulze, W., Schultze-Petzold, H., Hazem, A.S., & Gross, R. (1978). Attempts to Objectify Pain and Consciousness in Conventional and Ritual Methods of Slaughtering Sheep and Calves. Deutsche Tierärztliche Wochenschrift, 85(2), 62–66. (2) Gregory, N.G., & Wotton, S.B. (1984). Sheep slaughtering procedures: II. Time to loss of brain responsiveness after exsanguination or cardiac arrest. British Veterinary Journal, 140(4), 354–360. (4) Grandin, T. (2012). Recommended Animal Handling Guidelines and Audit Guide: A Systematic Approach to Animal Welfare. American Meat Institute Foundation. (5) Atkinson, S., Velarde, A., & Algers, B. (2013). Assessment of stun quality at commercial slaughter in cattle shot with captive bolt. Animal Welfare, 22(4), 473–481. (6) European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). (2004). Welfare aspects of the main systems of stunning and killing the main commercial species of animals. EFSA Journal, 45, 1–29. (7) Flemish Parliament. (2017). Decree amending the law of 14 August 1986 concerning the protection and welfare of animals, with regard to the permitted methods for slaughtering animals. Belgian Official Gazette, 7 July 2017. (8) European Parliament. (2017). Parliamentary question P-002607/2017: Slaughter without stunning. Retrieved via europarl.europa.eu. (9) Riaz, M.N., Irshad, F., Riaz, N.M., & Regenstein, J.M. (2021). Pros and cons of different stunning methods from a Halal perspective: a review. Translational Animal Science, 5(4), txab154. https://doi.org/10.1093/tas/txab154

Recently, more and more blogs, posts, and advertisements have appeared claiming that bone broth “contains a lot of histamine because of prolonged cooking.” Meat broth is often presented as a supposedly safer alternative. Although that may sound logical, it is not scientifically correct. In fact, this claim is being widely copied online without any scientific basis. It is a classic example of internet myths keeping themselves alive because no one checks whether they are true. That is why this blog covers the facts, the science, and why prolonged cooking does not cause a histamine problem at all—but old meat does. What is histamine and how does it form? Histamine is a biogenic amine that forms when bacteria convert the amino acid histidine through an enzyme called histidine decarboxylase. ➡️ That means: without bacteria, there is no histamine.➡️ Histamine is not produced by cooking, and certainly not by prolonged cooking. The bacteria that produce histamine grow on: Old or poorly chilled meat or fish Meat that has been at room temperature for a long time Products processed unhygienically Once formed, histamine remains present even after cooking—it is heat-stable. But cooking itself does not produce histamine. What does cooking do to histamine? Research shows: Cooking reduces or stabilizes histamine levels. Grilling or frying sometimes increases histamine concentrations, mainly due to water evaporation. When cooking broth (even for 24–48 hours), histamine remains stable if you use fresh ingredients. Long cooking therefore does not increase histamine. If you work with fresh bones, prolonged simmering is not a problem at all. So where does histamine come from? Very simply: bacterial growth before cooking. If you use meat or bones that: have not been chilled immediately remain in the refrigerator for too long already been prepackaged or marinated… then bacteria have the opportunity to produce histamine. And that histamine remains even if you then cook it for hours. So the problem lies in the quality and freshness of the ingredients, not the cooking time. Why meat broth actually carries more risk Some brands suggest that meat broth is “safer” than bone broth. But that is not true. 💡 Meat is more susceptible to bacterial growth than bones.💡 Ground or marinated meat in particular often already contains elevated histamine levels. Bones, especially when stored frozen, contain much less moisture and muscle tissue where bacteria can be active. So if you use fresh or immediately frozen bones and work hygienically, bone broth is safe and low in histamine. Why you find so much inaccurate information online The claim that “bone broth contains a lot of histamine because of prolonged cooking” is repeatedly copied, often without any sources. Many blogs cite one another, sometimes verbatim, without checking the facts. The result? One false story becomes “truth” across hundreds of websites. Meanwhile, some companies use these myths to promote their own products (bone broth, powder, supplements…) as “histamine-friendly,” even though this is not scientifically accurate. What does the science really say? A few examples: "Histamine is produced during microbial spoilage by decarboxylation of histidine and is not destroyed by cooking." – US FDA, Fish and Fishery Products Hazards and Controls Guidance, 4th Edition “Histamine content is more influenced by microbial activity in raw materials than by thermal processing.” – EFSA Journal, 2011 “Boiling reduces or maintains histamine levels; only pre-existing contamination affects final content.” – Doeun et al., Food Control, 2013 These and other studies are clear: the freshness of the ingredient determines the histamine level, not the cooking time. How can you avoid histamine in broth? Simple: Always use fresh bonesBuy them fresh or frozen, and process them quickly. Never leave meat or bones at room temperatureNot even for a few hours. Bacteria act quickly. Store your broth safelyRefrigerate within 2 hours after cooling, or freeze immediately. Avoid leftover meat with a questionable smell or colorThese may already contain histamine before cooking. What do we do at HANT? At HANT, we use only fresh, halal-slaughtered beef bones that are deep-frozen immediately upon receipt. Our bone broth is slowly simmered for 32 hours under controlled conditions. After preparation, the broth is heated in an industrial autoclave—a device that uses pressurized steam, similar to a sterilization process in the medical field. Although an autoclave does not break down histamine (because histamine is heat-resistant), it does significantly improve food safety and shelf life. No bacteria capable of producing histamine can survive after packaging. And for those who want certainty: we had our products tested by an accredited laboratory. The results show no elevated histamine levels in our broth.👉 View the analysis report here👉 View all lab results here