Sushi, Raw and Undercooked Foods: How to be safe?

[SpyderEdgeForever]

There are so many places around the world that produce and sell sushi of different kinds, as well as various raw foods, and foods that can be called under-cooked, not fully cooked. How can a consumer make sure that if they do eat these foods, they will be safe, and not get food poisoning, parasites, or harmful bacteria or other problems?

Someone told me that any decent restaurant who is serving foods such as rare steak or sushi should make sure the food is of a quality level that the customer does not have to fear getting sick, but how can the customer make sure they won't? Is the best policy to avoid all such things and only consume fully-cooked and preserved foods?

[cbrstar]

Over the years I've eaten tons of Sushi and never gotten sick. There's a simple trick...

The more "Fishy" it smells the more rotten it is. As fish rots the more it stinks like fish especially tuna. Fresh Sushi you should barely be able to smell the fish if at all.

The ironic thing is real Wasabi (That green paste) is actually a antibiotic and would kill the germs back in the old days before refrigeration. But the Wasabi you eat now is just colored horse radish.

[Crux]

We have real Wasabi here in America.

[Daveho]

Let me say that when it comes to raw Japanese food you are talking Sashimi- there are some sushi variants that are raw but the vinegard rice is more the defining feature rather than the state of meat.
Personally I just look for proximity to source, while I was in japan I ate a lot of sashimi as was in costal towns or never far from but while I was inland in the states... not so much

[cbrstar]

We have real Wasabi here in America.

True but you will have to go to a pretty nice restaurant to get it.

[Mom3ntuM]

European regulations require that all fish that is served raw has to be frozen First to get rid of parasites and bacteria..
Don't know about the rest of the world though

[Crux]

Just to be safe I don't eat any seafood. So far I'm still alive. :)

[SpyderEdgeForever]

European regulations require that all fish that is served raw has to be frozen First to get rid of parasites and bacteria..
Don't know about the rest of the world though

Will the freezing processes definitely kill and destroy bacteria and viruses or are there ones that can survive the process?

[Bloke]

they will be safe

[James Y]

Americans (or Westerners) always confuse sushi with sashimi. Sashimi is raw fish. Sushi can have raw fish in it, but sushi itself isn't raw fish.

I haven't eaten sushi for years, because several years ago I developed a gluten sensitivity, and many flavorings in sushi contain gluten. I would have to learn to make my own gluten-free version. But in the past, I've eaten sushi that had no raw fish (or any fish) in it at all. Personally, I wouldn't eat it with raw fish in it, anyway.

I've never liked sashimi, and my ancestry is Japanese, lol.

Even eating raw fruits and vegetables requires some care. I use a produce brush while rinsing fruits and vegetables before peeling and preparing/eating. It requires more than just a cursory wiping it on your shirt. For example, I heard that around a quarter of all avocados have e.coli on the outside skin that can get into the fruit when you cut into it.

Jim

[Crux]

European regulations require that all fish that is served raw has to be frozen First to get rid of parasites and bacteria..
Don't know about the rest of the world though

Will the freezing processes definitely kill and destroy bacteria and viruses or are there ones that can survive the process?

Well, I can't say for seafood but it doesn't for real meat.

[MichaelScott]

I seriously doubt that freezing will kill all bacteria or any virus.

I have eaten both sushi and sashimi for years in Northern California at good restaurants with no issues. I think it is more where you eat that what you eat.

[SpyderEdgeForever]

I seriously doubt that freezing will kill all bacteria or any virus.

I have eaten both sushi and sashimi for years in Northern California at good restaurants with no issues. I think it is more where you eat that what you eat.

That is a very good point. And so, if place has a good record and is trustworthy, it can be relied on, for the most part?

Do you like that unagi sea eel? That is very good tasting.

[JD Spydo]

Back in the day ( 80s & 90s) every time I would go to New Orleans or any other destination that was close to the ocean I would always gorge myself on raw oysters on a half shell. Truly I wish I had a dollar for every one of those I've eaten. But I haven't had one for almost 12 years now. There was a medical Doctor I did a lot of work for that got extremely sick and got very near death and he was certain it was the raw oysters he ate while in the Florida panhandle that nearly took his life. Also about the time he got sick I was hearing that they were finding all kinds of viruses in raw oysters. And with oysters being a bottom feeder I took the hint and quit. It took him almost a whole year to get over the virus he had from those oysters :eek:

Now we have a local grocery store chain here were I live ( Hy Vee) that does up Sushi really good. And I do get one of those Sushi plates to go about once a month or so. But the people that run that operation at my local Hy Vee grocer's are very particular about what fish they use in their Sushi. I mainly eat the ones with wild caught Salmon and Blue Fin Tuna and I use a lot of Wasabi along with Soy Sauce and I've not yet had any ill effects from their Sushi. Now I have heard of other Sushi places here in the KC area that have made people sick but it doesn't happen often.

But anymore I avoid oysters and most other bottom feeders and I'm very picky about any Sushi I eat.

[SpyderEdgeForever]

JD I am glad you mentioned the shellfish because that was a related question, how safe are raw and even cooked shellfish?


Also, what are a good way to eat cooked oysters that is still healthy?

[Crux]

Also, what are a good way to eat cooked oysters that is still healthy?

The very best way is to have someone else eat them and then order a steak.

[Laine]

I eat only the fish that I cook myself and know for sure that it is fresh.

[JD Spydo]

I eat only the fish that I cook myself and know for sure that it is fresh.

And I don't blame you a bit for being that careful. Because I've been hearing a lot about those stands that will come into your town and sell what they say is fresh seafood>> I've heard nightmare, horror stories about these vendors that sell out of trucks and are gone tomorrow. I've heard that a lot of these guys get their seafood out of highly polluted waters which is why they can undersell many of the reputable grocery store chains.

When I want fresh or frozen fish I go to my local Hy Vee Grocery store and I've never in 25 years ever had a bad experience with anything that they sell. Again I would be very cautious where I would get seafood>> and most meat and poultry too.

[The Meat man]

Also, what are a good way to eat cooked oysters that is still healthy?

The very best way is to have someone else eat them and then order a steak.

Ha ha! :D

I fully agree. :cool:

[JD Spydo]

Over the years I've eaten tons of Sushi and never gotten sick. There's a simple trick...

The more "Fishy" it smells the more rotten it is. As fish rots the more it stinks like fish especially tuna. Fresh Sushi you should barely be able to smell the fish if at all.

The ironic thing is real Wasabi (That green paste) is actually a antibiotic and would kill the germs back in the old days before refrigeration. But the Wasabi you eat now is just colored horse radish.

I think you are spot on regarding fish getting a distinctive odor when it's going bad. However I've kind of got an exception to that rule. I usually bake all of my fish. And sometimes and especially with Salmon, Trout and Cod I've had odors that didn't smell all that great during the baking process but I've never gotten sick on anything I've baked in the oven and cooked thoroughly at 375 degrees F. Some fish odors on frozen fish might be the result of how it was handled during the processing?

But all of the Sushi I get at my local Hy Vee Store has never had a tell tale odor of any kind. They go through their sushi so fast that their stuff doesnt' even have time to go bad.

I've got another rule of thumb that has kept me from getting sick eating seafood ( or anything else for that matter). If I go into an eating establishment and most of the people working there don't speak English I immediately walk out. Because if I can't effectively communicate with anyone dealing with food then I automatically don't trust them at all.