The dangerous parasite Anisakis does not forgive: if you do not follow these little rules you risk ending up in the hospital
One of the delicacies of our local and international cuisine is definitely the raw fish. From sashimi to oysters, from tartare to nigiri, everything contributes to making raw fish a real treat for the palate.
Especially at weddings, just to mention one of the most emblematic cases, there is no banquet that does not present one wide range of raw such as tuna, salmon, oysters, seafood, shrimp and so on and so forth, the more you put. If your mouth is watering already, dear mom, we understand you perfectly well.
Yet, perhaps because of its delicacy, the risks associated with the consumption of raw fish are certainly not to be underestimated. In the event that this arrives on our tables not adequately treated, symptoms such as fever, vomiting, abdominal cramps and diarrhea are the order of the day and, in this case, it is precisely the intoxication from anisakisone of the many dangers of raw food.
It is a parasite, a whitish or pinkish worm with a length of 1-3 centimeters, visible in some cases even with the naked eye, found in the Mediterranean Sea, especially in the Adriatic Sea. Anisakidosis or anisakiasis occurs in the gastrointestinal tract as a result of a parasitic infection caused by the parasite larvae.
Not all raw or undercooked fish, however, have these larvae. In fact, higher concentrations of anisakis have been found in sardines, anchovies, mackerel and paddlefish, while salmon, sea bass and sea bream are fish at zero risk of infection. But how can this parasite be annihilated?
All the secrets against anisakis
Let’s start with a fundamental premise: in most of thethe cases when eating raw fish, the larvae die without causing health problems. As reported by ‘Il Salvagente’ from 1996 to 2011 only 54 cases of human anisakis infection were recorded. But not only. More serious allergic reactions, such as anaphylactic shock, are even more rare.
These comforting data, however, must certainly not make us let our guard down when eating raw fish. In fact, safety is of fundamental importance. Precisely for this, for avoid any risk of infection you should:
- Remove the entrails from the fish. In this way, the passage of the larvae from the visceral cavity to the muscles will greatly decrease.
- Be careful that the fish was first frozen at minus 18 degrees for at least 96 hours.
- In case it is still not safe enough, give up the raw and cook the fish for at least 10 minutes to kill all the larvae inside.
- Finally, if you go out for lunch or dinner, it is important to make sure that the raw fish was first pulled downas established by the European Union legislation in force since 2004.