Purine content in fish varies depending on the type and processing. Japanese researchers measured purine content in fish and seafood common in their diet. Depending on the purine level in 100g of edible portion of the food, and risk of gout, they classified them into six classes.
- Very low purine sources, <50mg: In this class are roes (eggs) of salmon and herring.
- Low purine sources, 50 - 100mg: Fish with this low purine level include Japanese eel, monkfish, red king crab, botan shrimp, squid organs and caviar.
- Moderate purine sources, 100 - 200mg: Common fish and seafood in this category include salmon, tuna, bastard halibut, mackerel, rainbouw trout, seabass, spiny lobster, herring, kuruma shrimp, octupus, oyster.
- High purine sources, 200 - 300mg: Of the common fish with high purine content is sardine. Other examples are oriental shrimp, krill, half-dried mackerel.
- Very high purine sources, >300mg: This level of purine in the fish and seafood is mostly as a result of drying, which increases the concentration of purines. This class of products need to be avoided or their consumption reduced. Examples are dried sardine, anchovies, and sakura shrimp.
An extended list of fish and seafood, including organs, with their purine content is presented below. The uric acid content is what the corresponding purine amount in the food would convert to in the body.
Purine in Fresh and Processed Fish
Table 1: Total purines and uric acid content in fresh and processed fish.
| Fish type | Total Purines (mg/100g) | Total Uric acid (mg/100g) | Category |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fresh fish | |||
| Bastard halibut | 133.4 | 163.1 | moderate |
| Bonito | 211.4 | 258.9 | high |
| Carp | 103.2 | 126.1 | moderate |
| Chub mackerel | 122.1 | 149.6 | moderate |
| Fat greenling | 129.1 | 158.0 | moderate |
| Flying fish | 154.6 | 188.3 | moderate |
| Gnome fish, meat | 150.8 | 184.4 | moderate |
| Gnome fish, skin | 382.3 | 435.5 | very high |
| Herring | 139.6 | 169.8 | moderate |
| Jack mackerel | 165.3 | 198.4 | moderate |
| Japanese amberjack | 120.8 | 147.9 | moderate |
| Japanese eel | 92.1 | 110.9 | low |
| Japanese seabass | 119.5 | 146.2 | moderate |
| Mebaru | 124.2 | 151.3 | moderate |
| Monkfish, meat | 70.0 | 84.2 | low |
| Monkfish, liver, raw | 104.3 | 121.8 | moderate |
| Monkfish, liver, steamed | 399.2 | 468.2 | very high |
| Pacific saury | 154.9 | 184.9 | moderate |
| Raibow trout | 180.9 | 216.8 | moderate |
| Red seabream | 128.9 | 158.0 | moderate |
| Sablefish, meat | 123.3 | 151.1 | moderate |
| Sablefish, skin | 66.9 | 80.8 | low |
| Sailfin sandfish | 98.5 | 117.7 | low |
| Salmon | 119.3 | 146.2 | moderate |
| Sardine | 210.4 | 247.1 | high |
| Silllaginidae | 143.9 | 176.5 | moderate |
| Spanish mackerel | 139.3 | 171.5 | moderate |
| Striped pigfish | 149.3 | 183.2 | moderate |
| Tilefish | 119.4 | 146.2 | moderate |
| Tuna | 157.4 | 193.3 | moderate |
| Dried fish, canned fish, processed fish | |||
| Jack mackerel, half-dried | 245.8 | 289.1 | high |
| Pacific saury, half-dried | 208.8 | 245.4 | high |
| Sardine, half-dried | 305.7 | 358.1 | very high |
| Anchovy, dried | 1108.6 | 1314.2 | very high |
| Bonito, dried (katsuaobushi) | 493.3 | 600.1 | very high |
| Baby sardines, dried | 746.1 | 879.2 | very high |
| Whitebait, dried | 471.5 | 554.0 | very high |
| Salmon, canned | 132.9 | 159.7 | moderate |
| Tuna, canned | 116.9 | 142.9 | moderate |
| Fish ball | 67.6 | 80.7 | low |
| Fish sausage | 22.6 | 26.9 | very low |
Gout and diet related:
Purine and uric acid content in fish roe, fish milt, and seafoods
Purines and uric acid content in beef, pork and chicken
Purines and uric acid content in vegetables, fruits, eggs, dairy products
References:
Kaneko K, Aoyagi Y, Fukuuchi T, Inazawa K, and Yamaoka N. Total Purine and Purine Base Content of Common Foodstuffs for Facilitating Nutritional Therapy for Gout and Hyperuricemia. Biol. Pharm. Bull 37(5), 709 - 721 (2014).