Gloria Rowland
We need to be more cautious and conscious while eating surreal stuff like raw salmon to satisfy our palate, when we know, just one bowl of bat soup can lock the whole planet earth.
Can You Eat Raw Salmon?
Raw salmon is love, no doubt. Either it is Sushi, sashimi, or tartare. But it can be a reason to transfer bacteria, Parasites, and other Pathogens into your body.
A study by CDC concluded, “Diphyllobothrium Nihonkaiense Tapeworm Larvae found in wild pink Salmon from Alaska in North America.”
Raw salmon and even any type of undercooked seafood is the source of environmental contaminants. Therefore, it is highly recommended not to enjoy raw seafood for:
- Pregnant women
- Older adults with a weak immune system
- Kids with the weak or strong immune system
Who Can and How to Eat Raw Salmon?
Anyone with good health and a robust immune system can eat raw salmon but make sure to know the risks attached to your body.
However, before you eat salmon or any raw seafood, make sure:
- It is appropriately blast-frozen to -31°F or at -35°C temperature.
No parasites can survive under freezing temperatures. To know if your salmon is perfectly frozen, check its texture.
Salmon that seems moist with no bruising, discoloration, or off-odor is great to eat raw but if it has bruises and wrinkles on the skin and gives an unpleasant odor, avoid it.
- Salmon is obtained from freshwater.
That has no contamination of human waste and environmental pollution.
- Salmon is cooked.
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Even undercooked salmon is hazardous.
Raw Salmon Health Risks:
Studies and real-life examples suggest that
- Asian and Alaskan Salmon Contains Parasites and Bacteria
- Raw Salmon can cause viral infections
- Chronic issues like HIV and cancer are also associated with eating Raw Salmon
Here are the details:
1. Raw Salmon Can Transmit Viruses like Hepatitis A & Norovirus:
Not just two, but raw salmon contains as many viruses as you can name, and some can be extremely harmful to the human body.
These viruses can cause issues like:
- salmonellosis
- intestinal infections
- Difficulty breathing
- Muscle paralysis
- HIV
Study shows that seafood obtained from contaminated human-waste contains viruses and can be avoided by ensuring the salmon is obtained from fresh and clean water.
2. Parasites Like Japanese Tapeworm Are Found in Raw Salmon:
Salmons carry Japanese tapeworms that can transfer, stay, and grow into the human body up to 30 feet. Jeez!!
This tapeworm can cause issues like:
- Weight loss
- abdominal pain
- diarrhea
- Anemia
In rare cases, a person with a parasitic worm may show no symptoms at all
To avoid this, cook salmon at 145o Fahrenheit temperature or frozen to a specific temperature. By doing so, these bacteria and parasites can be killed.
3. Raw Salmon Yield Carries POP (Persistent Organic Pollutants):
Salmon and other fishes breed on contaminated water, carry inorganic pesticides, chemicals, and flame retardants inside their fatty tissues.
These pollutants can cause:
- reproductive disorders
- cancer
- immunity decrement
by cooking salmon, we can lower the risk of organic contaminants up to 26 %.
Conclusion:
Salmon itself isn’t harmful but a very tasty fish to enjoy Sushi and other famous Japanese and Chinese cuisines.
However, the water where salmon grows or breeds plays a part in making it a healthy thing to eat or avoid.
Therefore, when you are eating raw salmon, make sure to check it is picked from fresh and clean water with no contaminants of human waste or inorganic chemicals and materials.
Plus, if you are less than 14-year-old, an older adult, or a woman bearing a baby, you should avoid eating raw salmon.