Do you like sushi? Have you ever been ill after consuming it? You probably felt that the fish was not “fresh” and stopped frequenting the restaurant that had served it to you… But perhaps the explanation for your intoxication does not come from there, because raw (or undercooked) fish can contain a worm, called anisakiswhich when ingested by humans, causes these types of symptoms.
Anisakiasis, stomach flu symptoms
Diarrhea, vomiting, stomach flu: this is what will happen to you if you swallow an anisakis. They are responsible for the disease called anisakiasis, which often heals itself after a few days. Rest assured, worms do not survive inside the human body. On the other hand, they colonize the marine world and endanger fish, crustaceans, or even whales, seals and dolphins.
A study published in 2020, conducted by researchers at the University of Washington explained that the population of these worms would have jumped between 1978 and 2015: it would have been multiplied by 283. The first to be infected by the worm are the planktons, and as they are eaten by larger fish (and so on) it spreads. In marine mammals, the worm can persist for a very long time and reproduce.
In general, chefs, especially if they are used to shellfish and raw fish, know how to detect them (especially since they can be up to 2 centimeters!). But it happens that they pass through the controls. If you are afraid to consume it, an advice is given by the researchers: cut your sushi before eating it and observe the flesh.
Source: ‘Sushi parasites’ have increased 283-fold in past 40 years, School of aquatic and fishery sciences.
