Eating Raw Fish...

Facts about consuming raw fish

 If you check the history books, humans have been consuming raw fruits, meat and fish for millions of years. Fish is far more suitable for raw consumption that meat due to far less connective tissue and tender flesh. However, many are mislead to the facts about consuming raw fish. Because of the popularity of sushi bars outside of Japan , we hear more and more questions about the safety of consuming sashimi (raw fish). Here we will discuss the issues to aid your knowledge and let you form your own opinions.

We are often mislead by peoples ignorant views on bacteria in raw fish. Bacteria exists all around us. It lives in the clothes we wear, the beds we sleep in and the food we eat. Bacteria like "salmonella" is associated with food poisoning, yet the truth is naturally exists in nearly all food that we eat. Problems arise when it is consumed in overwhelming quantities or by a person with a low immune system. One fine example is infected tinned food, where the bacteria has chance to reproduce in an optimum environment over long periods of time. People who are weakened by age (very young or very old), pregnancy or struck by illness may be venerable to bacteria due to a low immune system. The normal healthy person will have sufficient antibodies to fight these everyday bacteria, the more often the healthy person meets these bacteria, the stronger the immune system becomes. This does not mean a health person should deliberately consume more bacteria to boost their immune system and too much bacteria can cause illness.

In nature, mammals such as lions consume raw meat and bears eat raw fish. So are these mammals biologically different to humans? The answer is no, they have simply built a strong immune system to their regular food sources. It is amazing how mammals' immune systems can adapt to their environment. One common example would be visiting a foreign country such as Kenya and drinking their tap water. While a Kenyan would be perfectly fine, a visitor from a distant would most likely develop a bad stomach and diarrhoea from the bacteria in the water. The simple reason being our immune system has never come into contact with the bacteria present in the water. Our immune system would be taken by surprise and fail to eliminate the bacteria fast enough and we would become ill. Over time it would be possible to develop immunity to the bacteria as our immune system learns the bacteria in the water and produces the necessary antibodies. It has been documented in the past that an entire tribe from a remote area of the world has been decimated by the common cold carried by a western traveller. In western civilisation we take for granted that a cold only may last a few weeks and give us a runny nose. Our immune systems are very much unsung heroes.

So what about parasites in raw fish? Yes raw fish can contain parasites. Some are far more likely to be attacked by parasites than others (i.e. fresh water fish). You will find that raw fish served in sushi bars is nearly always salt water varieties of fish. Now it is down too the skill of the sushi chef to detect these parasites. Parasites are very rare if you buy from a reputable fishmonger. In the rare cases where a fish has been attacked by a parasite, they are easily spotted. In fish there are 3 main types of parasites to look out for;

Flukes are easily spotted due to their enormous size. They are also very rare.

Nematodes (Roundworms) are often compared to human hairs. They are slight thicker than human hairs and can differ in length. They have a white sheen appearance making them not stand out to the untrained eye. They usually burrow their way into the fish perpandicular to the muscle fibres making them easier to spot. Many sushi bars detect for these parasites with ultrashound. The fish most likely to contain these are salmon and tuna. Luckily these parasites cannot survive in the human body. If you are unlucky enough to be infected by these you are likely so suffer from a bad stomach and diarrhea.

Tapeworm is the only type of worm that can survive the conditions in the human body. When found they are only likely to attack the internals organs of the fish such as the intestings and not the flesh. Raw fish in sushi bars should be prime cuts of fish flesh, elliminating the risk of tapeworm infection. Tuna does not contain the risk of tapeworm. Today there are many medicine available to on the market to easily irradicate tapeworks found in humans.

There is one extreme example of a dangerous fish to eat raw that many of us have heard about. That is the puffer fish otherwise known as fugu. This fish is considered a great delicacy in Japan. Due to it naturally producing a potent poison called " Tetrodotoxin" you really are putting your life in the hands of the chef. Lucky the government regulated who and who can not serve this delicacy. Only the most highly trained chefs qualify for a license to serve this dangerous treat, as it must be masterfully prepared to be safe for consumption. Over the years fatalities from eating fugu has significantly dropped from up to 100 a year to just 6 in 2002 and just 3 in 2003. We have recently found documentation that scientists have cultured a non toxic fugu that is 100% safe for human consumption.

There are about 40 cases a year in the entire USA of reported illness from eating raw fish. Nearly all of them relate to people with low imune systems and people who have consumes digestive organs of the fish (usually amatures preparing their own raw fish at home). This is exremely low in comparison to related illnesses from eating other foods. So there are the facts! It is now your choice, will you be ordering sashimi at your next sushi bar? We here at sushi world certianly will be! Although... we are not so sure about the fugu.