Mild Symptoms of Worm Infection From Sushi Treating any mild symptoms and cooking seafood thoroughly can prevent major illness.įor most healthy individuals, moderate sushi consumption poses minimal risk of significant worm infection. This raises concerns over rising infections in marine mammals. One study found a 283-fold increase in seal worm among samples of Pacific cod livers since the 1970s. Proper food handling and prep reduce the already slim risks.īut worms may be increasingly abundant in certain fish. Outbreaks of illness from fish worms are rare, even among frequent sushi eaters. Are Parasitic Infections From Sushi Common? With sound oversight and safe enjoyment, the chances of contracting a parasite from sushi is very low. Home freezing for 7 days kills potential worms. Check raw fillets for any spots or larvae. Parasites multiply faster at warmer temperatures. Keep sashimi chilled until eating, and don’t let it sit out long. Raw salmon and trout are more prone to broad tapeworms. Be wary of questionable street vendors or fish mongers.

Purchase from reputable restaurants and suppliers only.

While thorough handling helps, a few simple precautions can further reduce your worm risks: When purchased from quality suppliers and served promptly, sushi has likely undergone safety processes to protect against worms.

Preventing cross-contamination: Work surfaces and tools are thoroughly cleaned to avoid spreading worm eggs between fish.

This is required by the FDA for sushi-grade fish.

Freezing: Fish intended for raw consumption is frozen solid for 7 days to kill any parasites.

Visual inspection: Staff are trained to spot and remove any visible worms from fish fillets.

Reputable sushi restaurants and seafood processors take careful steps to protect against parasites: How Do Sushi Suppliers and Restaurants Reduce the Risks? Proper handling and prep is vital to reducing parasites in sushi-grade seafood. So both farmed and wild raw fish have risks. Anisakis is less common in farmed fish fed commercial pellets. Wild fish eat infected crustaceans and spread the parasite through marine food chains. Wild fish pose a higher risk of Anisakis worms. On crowded fish farms, parasites can spread easily between fish. But some key differences affect their likelihood:įarmed fish are more susceptible to parasites like seal worm than wild fish. Are Farmed or Wild Fish Higher Risk for Worms?īoth farmed and wild raw fish can carry parasite risks. Symptoms like nausea, vomiting, or abdominal pain may follow as the body tries to expel the invader. Once a human ingests the worm, it could attach to our intestinal walls. Larvae may be invisible in fish muscle until after people eat it. Infected fish don’t show signs or altered flavors. But they can be transmitted to humans who eat: Worm larvae cannot infect marine mammals like whales and seals.

How Do These Parasitic Worms Infect Humans? People can catch this worm by eating the raw flesh of infected freshwater fish like salmon, trout, pike or perch. The broad fish tapeworm, Diphyllobothrium latum, causes the largest concern for humans. Its life cycle is similar, spreading from seals to fish eaten by people. The cod worm, or Pseudoterranova, is also a nematode. The worms then spread through the food chain into fish and squid eaten raw by humans. Let’s start with the culprits of concern: AnisakisĪnisakis simplex is a nematode worm that lives in the intestines of marine mammals like whales, dolphins and seals. I’ll walk you through the key facts so you can continue to enjoy your spicy tuna rolls with confidence! Read on to get the insights you need to make informed choices about sushi safety. The short answer is: With care and oversight, the sushi you eat likely poses very little worm risk.

What precautions can sushi lovers take?.

How can sushi restaurants and suppliers reduce the spread?.

How do these worms spread and infect humans?.What types of worms or parasites could be in sushi?.In this article, we’ll explore questions like: But with proper handling, these risks can be reduced in the sushi we eat. Yes, certain worms like Anisakis have increased in marine environments. I’ve got the real facts on whether sushi can give you worms.Īs a food safety advocate and sushi connoisseur, I’ve dug into the latest research to address concerns over parasites in raw fish.

Worried that your precious sushi could secretly be crawling with worms? Before you swear off sushi forever, take a deep breath.

Broad fish tape worm