Histamine induces a series of allergic reactions in humans. Once it is formed in fish by bacteria, histamine cannot be removed or destroyed by cooking, freezing or processing. She studied the problem and discovered the best way to control histamine is to prevent it from forming by keeping fish cold after harvest. She plans to use these results to see if albacore has some sort of anti-microbial substance to prevent bacterial growth. It is just this kind of value-added activity that Morrissey is always looking for.
Some research shows results the next month, others are five years down the road.
If Gil Sylvia echoes Morrissey's view of the value of the state's newest and most unique experiment station, he is also sometimes bedeviled by the sheer enormity of the task he and others have been given. We need to understand these biological constraints while attempting to maximize potential benefits for the West Coast and Oregon. We are transitioning from a pioneering era to one in which we need to sustain marine resources. That kind of pressure may create the very research opportunities scientists are always seeking. Fisheries professor Chris Langdon is trying to find out by growing these creatures in tanks on a diet of red seaweed.