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Firehouse Subs USDA Choice Pastrami

High histamine

This pastrami sub runs high because the pastrami is cured and the sodium nitrite and oil of garlic seasoning is high.

Food here is usually assembled to order from components that were prepped earlier in the day, so it tends to be fresher than a drive-through and less fresh than cooking at home. Histamine builds up as protein foods sit, so how long the chicken or beef has been in the warmer matters as much as what is in the bowl. Treat the rating above as a starting point.

The concern here is the deli meat itself, not the bread it rides on.

  • Cured pastrami — pastrami is beef that has been cured and smoked, and curing lets histamine build up, which is why the USDA Choice pastrami reads high.

  • The cure blend — the sodium nitrite and oil of garlic seasoning that goes with it is also high, so it adds to the verdict rather than softening it.

A freshly cooked, uncured protein on the same menu is the gentler route.

What's in it

This is a restaurant menu item, so its rating comes from its ingredients. Here is what it is typically made of and where the histamine sits. Tap any whole food for the full detail.

This rating comes from Firehouse Subs' own published ingredient statement, read on August 11, 2026. Restaurant recipes vary by location and change over time, so always check the current listing: source 1, source 2. How we rate foods →

Firehouse Subs USDA Choice Pastrami and Firehouse Subs are trademarks of their respective owners. This page is an independent histamine reference and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the brand.

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For educational purposes only. Not medical advice. Consult a healthcare professional for personal guidance.

References

  1. SIGHI Food Compatibility List — SIGHI (2026)
  2. Histamine and histamine intolerance — Maintz & Novak (2007)
  3. Histamine Intolerance: The Current State of the Art — Comas-Basté et al. (2020)
  4. Low-Histamine Diets: Is the Exclusion of Foods Justified by Their Histamine Content? — Sánchez-Pérez et al. (2021)
  5. Histamine Intolerance: Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Beyond — Jochum (2024)
  6. Guideline on management of suspected adverse reactions to ingested histamine — Reese et al. (2021)