Some people eat mussels raw. However, this behavior can lead to serious illnesses.
Mussels are a real delicacy for all those who love the flavors of the sea. You can make many unmissable dishes because they look good on everything. They give the pasta an intense taste and, associated with cherry tomatoes, give an irresistible flavour. Although it is a pleasure to taste them, some precautions must always be taken into consideration.
There are people who, just like the older generations did, the consume only with lemon juice, without any previous cooking. It is a harmful habit that could cause health problems that should not be underestimated. In fact, it must be remembered that heat, above certain temperatures, eliminates all those bacteria contained in meat, fish and molluscs.
Eating raw mussels: all the risks associated with this habit
A mussel-based dinner is able to convince even people with the most refined tastes. When you discover this flavor it’s hard to do without it, but you have to be careful how you consume it. These molluscs, in fact, should always undergo long and careful cooking before being eaten.
Experts absolutely advise against eating them raw. In fact, the risk of contracting some dangerous diseases is very high. We are not talking about “common” food poisoning, but more difficult to treat ailments which, in some cases, can be fatal.
The diseases transmitted by raw mussels – tantasalute.it
Raw mussels can transmit one of the most feared viral diseases. This is hepatitis A, which is especially harmful to the liver. It presents with nausea, vomiting, jaundice, dark urine, and fever (usually low). Due to a bacterium called Vibrio cholerae, infections such as salmonella can also be encountered, both in typhoidal and non-typhoidal forms. Added to these is the risk of adenoviruses, noroviruses and cholera.
In most cases, with the right doctor’s advice and targeted therapy, we see a resolution of the disorders. People who are fragile from an immune point of view or with particular conditions, however, can be victims of very serious consequences. Doctors advise never to be tempted by raw mussels. No matter how widespread this tradition is, cooking is absolutely necessary.
Furthermore, being filter feeder invertebrates they behave like sponges. They absorb sea pollution and microplastics. For this reason, it is always necessary to verify the origin of this food because a pot of boiling water is not enough to cope with this characteristic.