Years ago I attended a session about parasites presented by Dr. Ann Louise Gittelman, and as it turns out we all have parasites from any number of sources. I add foods to our diet that are known to help the problem, including eating pumpkin seeds, cloves, black walnut hulls, grapefruit seed extract, probiotics found in our homemade kefir, and wheatgrass (as a partial list).

You'll find more information at the link below.

-Grainlady

Here is a link that might be useful: Natural Remedies for Parasites

I buy the stuff labeled sushi grade. I am pretty sure they sell exactly the same salmon not labeled sushi grade for much cheaper. However, I figure this way I'll have someone to sue if I get a parasite.

Posted by jessicavanderhoff "---I buy the stuff labeled sushi grade. I am pretty sure they sell exactly the same salmon not labeled sushi grade for much cheaper. ----"

Supposedly, sushi grade fish is "---is referred to as the parasite destruction guarantee, which is accomplished by 'freezing and storing seafood at -4ðF (-20ðC) or below for 7 days (total time), or freezing at -31ðF (-35ðC) or below until solid and storing at -31ðF (-35ðC) or below for 15 hours, or freezing at -31ðF (-35ðC) or below until solid and storing at -4ðF (-20ðC) or below for 24 hours' which is sufficient to kill parasites. The FDA's Food Code recommends these freezing conditions to retailers who provide fish intended for raw consumption (for further information, please visit the FDA website). "

dcarch

I love sushi, and eat sashimi grade tuna raw. My dh and ds also love it. Never gave much thought about it making us sick since it is labled as sashimi grade.

I started making my own gravlax after finding the site mentioned below. After reading all of the comments, I'm convinced that freezing first is the safe way to ingest uncooked fish.

Here is a link that might be useful: Cooking For Engineers

I know someone who got a tapeworm from eating raw fish, sushi in a restaurant. However, I think it is a rare thing.

I can't give you a definitive answer, just a couple of points which may be helpful.

Like you, I hate to subject good fish to freezing, even though that is one way to conquer the parasite problem.

I have seen worms in ocean white fish fillets, cod I think, once or twice. They were easy to find by visual inspection. I don't think parasites are limited to fresh water fish.

There is a long standing controversy re wild vs. farmed salmon. Wild salmon are more apt to pick up parasites from feeding off the sea bottom. Farmed salmon are fed processed food pellets and are free of parasites. I frequently make lox from farmed salmon and would not hesitate to use it for sushi. Another point in its favor is freshness, due to the way it is harvested, quickly refrigerated and shipped immediately.

I eat raw clams and oysters often. Parasites are not the issue. The issue with shellfish is bacteria, since they are filter feeders and concentrate any bad stuff if the water is polluted. I've never been sick from raw shellfish. I usually know their source, often because I harvested them myself, and know they are from clean waters. Also, health authorities constantly inspect shellfish and close shellfish beds when pathogens such as bacteria or red tide show up. I think raw shellfish are safer to eat than a medium rare burger.

Your fish sellers will have info on the source of their fin fish and shellfish. Just ask.

Jim

I wonder how likely it is that I, not living in a fishing village, would find saltwater fish locally that hasn't been frozen. Probably on the industrial fishing boat, right after catching.

Looks like for just $6,000 you can get an undercounter plasma freezer that will take its contents to -22F. Well, I suppose that after I get my first worm, I'll be motivated enough to look into that option . . .

Here is a link that might be useful: -22F Anyone?

You can use dry ice. âÂÂ56.4 ðC (âÂÂ69.5 ðF)

dcarch

"I wonder how likely it is that I, not living in a fishing village, would find saltwater fish locally that hasn't been frozen."

Very likely I think. Ask the seller or squint at the fine print on the fish display to see if it says "previously frozen" or not.

Jim

I'd rather have a fish flash frozen at sea than the first one caught and carried around while they filled the rest of the hold and sold as fresh.

The freezer boats use ammonia and stuff we don't want in our homes to really, really pull the temp down fast and keep it there. Minimizing cellular breakage, or that mushiness you sometimes get in thawed fish.

A lot of so called sushi grade fish is previously frozen, depends on the demands of the local Health Dept.

"I'd rather have a fish flash frozen at sea than the first one caught and carried around while they filled the rest of the hold and sold as fresh."

I agree with that. Trouble is, with wild caught fish, you usually have no way of knowing whether the fish was frozen at sea or landed after several days at sea. About the only to know is to have a knowledge of the fishery from which the fish originated.

In some fisheries the fishing is done by "day boats", which go out in the morning and return in the afternoon. I think that is the case with at least some Alaskan salmon. Here on Cape Cod we can get day boat cod, which is excellent.

Farm raised salmon is removed from pens in the sea and processed immediately. That's as fresh as you can get except for the fish in some Chinese restaurants, which is kept alive in tanks until you place your order.

Jim

Don't talk with me about farmed salmon or we'll have to move over to Hot Topics!

(LOL)

Thanks for not going ballistic on me, metaxa. Your restraint is admirable. LOL

Jim

I solve it by going to my trusted favorite sushi restaurant (Ohayou gozaimasu, Tashiro-san) and ignoring the news and magazine clippings that my mother sends me.

Oh, and there's always spearfishing for tuna in Baja. :)

Ann