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Parasites in raw fish

In the body: Live worm larvae in raw fish can cause stomach upset and allergic reactions. Proper freezing or cooking kills them.

Not rated by dose: a flag on 3 reviewed foods, among them raw mackerel, Cod, raw and raw farmed salmon.

Depends how you handle it. Safe one way, risky another: cook it, soak it, boil it or freeze it, as the agency says.

All hazards

The reference value and where it comes from

  • The agency’s figureno agency dose value
  • Basisagency advice: freeze or cook fish eaten raw
  • Source EFSA 2010

Reviewed foods that carry it

3 reviewed foods carry it; none is rated by dose.

How often you can eat it

No food here is rated by dose. Each line says why it’s listed: a flag for the people the source names, advice on handling it, or context.

Flags and context, not rated by dose

  • Cod, raw

    Worth knowing

    EFSA 2010 · grade B

    How it’s rated

    Flagged for handling, for fish eaten raw: EFSA (2010) advises freezing or cooking fish that is eaten raw; cooked cod is not the route. Atlantic cod is a known host of Anisakis and Pseudoterranova (not sourced here), and no cod-specific nematode prevalence was searched. Health Canada's cooking rule for fish is 70 °C.

    Intake: raw or lightly cured cod (ceviche, cured fillet)

    Measured on: EFSA BIOHAZ news story on parasites in fishery products, 2010

  • Farmed salmon, raw

    Worth knowing

    EFSA 2010 · grade B

    How it’s rated

    Depends on preparation, and matters in pregnancy. Health Canada: freezing at -35 °C for at least 15 h or -20 °C for at least 7 days, or cooking to 70 °C for at least 1 min, kills parasites; Health Canada advises pregnant people to avoid raw seafood.

    Intake: not applicable (flag)

    Measured on: farmed Atlantic salmon, floating cages or onshore tanks, feed free of live parasites (EFSA BIOHAZ 2010 conclusion); wild fish not covered

  • Mackerel, raw

    Context

    EFSA 2024 · grade B

    How it’s rated

    Raw or lightly cured mackerel is a parasite route. EFSA: freezing (core) at -15 C for at least 96 h, -20 C for at least 24 h or -35 C for at least 15 h, or heating to a core of at least 60 C for at least 1 min, are the most effective treatments (they may not inactivate allergens). No prevalence number is asserted: the Part 2 tables list S. scombrus studies, counts not extracted. No Canadian agency page on Anisakis was found.

    Intake: raw or undercooked eating

    Measured on: agency context (EFSA 2024 re-evaluation): wild fish cannot be assumed free of larvae; Atlantic mackerel is in Norway's routine A. simplex surveillance

Sources