The in vitro metabolic stability of histidine-dipeptides (HD), carnosine (CAR) and anserine (ANS), in human serum, and their absorption kinetics after ingesting pure carnosine or HD rich foods in humans have been investigated. Healthy women (n = 4) went through four phases of taking one dose of either 450 mg of pure carnosine, 150 g beef (B), 150 g chicken (C), or chicken broth (CB) from 150 g chicken with a >2-week washout period between each phase. Blood samples were collected at 0, 30, 60, 100, 180, 240, and 300 min, and urine samples before and after (up to 7 h) ingesting pure carnosine or food. Both plasma and urine samples were analyzed for HD concentrations using a sensitive and selective LC–ESI-MS/MS method. CAR was undetectable in plasma after ingesting pure carnosine, B, C or CB. By contrast, plasma ANS concentration was significantly increased (P < 0.05) after ingesting C or CB, respectively. Urinary concentrations of both CAR and ANS were 13- to 14-fold increased after ingesting B, and 14.8- and 243-fold after CB ingestion, respectively. Thus, dietary HD, which are rapidly hydrolyzed by carnosinase in plasma, and excreted in urine, may act as reactive carbonyl species sequestering agents.