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A Chicago man made the
papers last month for suing a restaurant that allegedly served him a parasitic
tapeworm along with his undercooked salmon. So what about the sushi or sashimi
that hungry buyers pick up to go during the lunch hour rush?
Sushi lovers need not fret
about the raw
fish they consume, food scientists say, as long as the sushi has been
prepared properly according to regulations by the Food and Drug Administration.
People preparing sushi themselves need to take extra care with both the raw
fish and the rice.
The
usual suspects
Raw fish poses several
potential hazards for consumers besides
parasites. Bacteria can develop in non-fresh fish and produce enzymes
called histamines that may result in Scombroid poisoning. Certain
tropical-water fish may also have a natural toxin called ciguatera which causes
gastrointestinal and neurological symptoms.
Sushi eaters don't typically
have to worry because sushi restaurants take certain steps in handling and
preparing their fish. A required step involves freezing fish at temperatures of
-4 degrees Fahrenheit (-20 degrees Celsius) for seven days, or frozen at -31
degrees Fahrenheit (-35 degrees Celsius) for 15 hours, which kills any
parasites.
"As far as sushi goes,
the rules are in place because people were getting sick," said Keith
Schneider, a microbiologist and food safety expert at the University of
Florida. "The parasites are why we do the freezing on the raw fish."
The cases of sushi-related
illness fall far below the number of people sickened by contaminated
produce such jalapeno peppers. Even in those rare cases, the rice in sushi
is more often the culprit than the fish.
"I got sick eating
sushi at a place I go to occasionally – a fast food place, not a restaurant –
and I could swear I came out with bacillus
cereus," Schneider told LiveScience.
The bacillus cereus bacteria can spread rapidly in rice that sits at
room temperature. Sushi rice requires an acidic bath in a vinegary solution
that lowers the PH to 4.1, killing troublemaking microbes and making sushi
safer for the everyday foodie.
Don't
walk on the wild side
Many sushi lovers feast
contentedly on albacore or eel, but a few people aim for a more dangerous
culinary experience by eating the raw flesh of a poisonous puffer fish
called fugu.
Master fugu chefs sometimes
include some of the poison in their prepared dish, which creates a tingly
feeling on the lips when eaten. However, improperly prepared fugu can kill due
to the fish's potent neurotoxin.
"I consider it more of
a dare than a delicacy," Schneider said. "There are people who kill
themselves every year trying to make fugu, and it gives sushi a bad name."
As for trying to make sushi
with raw meat other than fish, best perish the thought.
"Raw chicken, raw beef
has probably much greater risk," Schneider said, pointing to bacteria such
as E. coli and salmonella that can
sicken thousands each year in the United States. "There are reasons you don't
have chicken sushi."
Expert
tips for happy sushi eating
- The
best bet for a good meal involves going to a restaurant or grabbing
a sushi container from the local supermarket.
- If
you absolutely want to prepare your own sushi, buy sushi-grade fish that
has been frozen per FDA regulations.
- Eat
your sushi as soon as possible, and do not let it sit in the fridge for
more than 24 hours.
No food is completely
without risk, but smart consumers can eat sensibly and enjoy – as long as fish are
around.
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