1. High-Stress Harvest (conventional slaughterhouse style) induces high stress loads onto the animal just prior to harvest. The stress hormone is called cortisol. Cortisol levels in the meat seem to correlate with histamine reactions when consumed.
   
   
2. The Average Age of “fresh”, never-frozen meat in the meat industry is 21-28 days from harvest to grocery shelf, never mind the added time spent on the store shelf and then in your refrigerator.

• Field harvested
  • Though not well scietifically researched yet, it has been our experience over the past 10+ years of dealing with extremely histamine sensitive consumers, that the stress hormone, cortisol, from a high-stress, factory-style slaughter appears to cause adverse reactions for those with histamine sensitivities. This appears to be the single most important ingredient in histamine-friendly products.
    
    
• Processed Fast
  • Cut, packaged, & frozen in 24 hrs or less. (Typically 3-8 hrs. That's incredibly fast by meat industry standards)
    
    
• Minimally Processed
  • Sausage products do not qualify for our low histamine category because added processing & mixing oxygenates the meat which increases bacterial activity; aka: histamines.
    
    
• Whole Muscle
  • Grinding, tenderizing, or other forms of fine cutting is also a no-no for our low-histamine-approved category. These additional processing steps once again introduces oxygen exposure, hence increasing bacterial activity.
    
    
• Non-Aged
  • Our aged Bison, Elk, and Beef Ribeye, New York Strip, and Top Sirloin steaks meet all criteria except the aging step. Stick with our non-aged steaks and other products to reduce histamine exposure.

• Field harvested
  • Though not well scietifically researched yet, it has been our experience over the past 10+ years of dealing with extremely histamine sensitive consumers, that the stress hormone, cortisol, from a high-stress, factory-style slaughter appears to cause adverse reactions for those with histamine sensitivities. This appears to be the single most important ingredient in histamine-friendly products.
    
    
• Processed Fast
  • Cut, packaged, & frozen in 24 hrs or less. (Typically 3-8 hrs. That's incredibly fast by meat industry standards)
    
    
• Minimally Processed
  • Sausage products do not qualify for our low histamine category because added processing & mixing oxygenates the meat which increases bacterial activity; aka: histamines.
    
    
• Whole Muscle
  • Grinding, tenderizing, or other forms of fine cutting is also a no-no for our low-histamine-approved category. These additional processing steps once again introduces oxygen exposure, hence increasing bacterial activity.
    
    
• Non-Aged
  • Our aged Bison, Elk, and Beef Ribeye, New York Strip, and Top Sirloin steaks meet all criteria except the aging step. Stick with our non-aged steaks and other products to reduce histamine exposure.

While finding a source for Low Histamine products can be a literal life saver, there are certain elements of "compromise" that are worthy of noting.

• Variety
  • By the nature of the timline of how a carcass is processed, certain items fall "out of bounds" for our Low Histamine category. This results in a smaller variety of options. That said, we are constantly trying to find new ways to offer a wider selection of products so meal time stays interesting. :)
    
    
• Tenderness
  • Aging = increased tenderness. Aged meats are the antithesis of Low Histamine but the consequence of immediately freezing meat (contrary to popular belief) is actually a tougher cut of meat. The aging process breaks down muscle fibers to create a more tender eating experience, which is why aging is such a touted attribute. Unfortunately, Low Histamine naturally equates to less tenderness.

The above criteria is a filter we use to create the most histamine-safe foods possible for the most extreme and dire situations. Those with only mild to moderate histamine sensitivities may be able to consume a much wider variety of our products as our entire methodology from raising to harvesting to processing naturally creates food products with relatively low histamine levels.