What’s worse than finding a worm in your apple? How about 1,000 in your sushi?
Brazilian scientists found that nearly all the tuna fish in a recent haul were contaminated by worms, sparking fears that our sashimi could be a parasite playground.
“These results highlight the importance of sanitary inspection,” warned the researchers in the a-raw-calyptic study published in the journal Ocean and Coastal Research.
The scientists, who hailed from the Federal University of Santa Catarina in southern Brazil, reportedly analyzed 53 locally-caught skipjack tuna — a popular commercial species — using powerful microscopes.
They finding that a whopping 96 percent of the catch harbored parasites, amounting to 1,600 worms in total, Science Alert reported.
The lion’s share of these squiggly interlopers were concentrated in the intestines followed by the muscle tissue – the portion we eat – and then the stomach while only the kidneys and hearts were untainted.
While scientists weren’t surprised to find worms in fish — parasites have been infesting them since time immemorial — they were shocked at the sheer numbers and how widespread they were in the organs.
This is particularly disconcerting given skipjacks’ global popularity with 3.1 million tons of this prized eating fish caught and sold around the world in 2022.
Scientists said this highlighted the importance of immediately removing the viscera to prevent parasites from migrating from the organs to the meat.
Unfortunately, despite meticulous examination by seafood processors and sushi chefs, these sashimi stowaways inevitably wriggle under the radar.
Unfortunately, finding these parasite piñatas is becoming more and more common.
In 2020, University of Washington researchers found that there’s been a 283-fold spike in the amount of herring worms — which parasitize a variety of fish and squid — in raw fish between 1967 and 2017. In other words, we’ve gone from finding one worm per every 100 fish caught to one in every single one.
Eating raw or undercooked fish tainted with these interlopers can cause wreak gastrointestinal havoc, causing symptoms including nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Fortunately, these effects subside when the fish-hiking parasites die in a few days.
Experts recommend thoroughly cooking fish to reduce the likelihood of contracting these intestinal infiltrators.
Despite the illness risks, some experts believe that many parasites are an indicator of freshness, similar to how insect-ridden produce is said to signify organic provenance.
“Everyone assumes that worms in your salmon is a sign that things have gone awry,” said Chelsea Wood, a parasitologist at the University of Washington. “I see their presence as a signal that the fish on your plate came from a healthy ecosystem.”
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