A Sushi disaster in the making

This archived article was written by: Haley Peyton Sellers

Warning: don’t read during lunch. Have you ever experienced a parasite before? Imagine this, a 30-foot-long worm making itself at home in your intestines. A new discovery put hesitation and disappointment in the sushi-loving public across the nation.
In the Asian Pacific, it is a common parasite in our edible friends under the sea. The salmon is the preferred fish for Japanese sushi delicacies, as well as, unfortunately, the worms. Recently, this parasitic worm (called the Japanese-broad tapeworm) spread from the Asian Pacific into our own waters. According to the Academy of Sciences in the Czech Republic, the parasite is confirmed to be in the wild pink salmon living in the Alaskan Pacific.
The symptoms of infection don’t show themselves immediately. Eventually it can cause abdominal pains, weight loss, and diarrhea. Your levels of B12 can also decrease if enough time goes by.  
On the bright side of things, the chance of getting infected by the Japanese tapeworm isn’t high. There have only been a few cases in the United States. Though eating any raw fish or meat the risk is always there.
Overall, it is preferable to smoke, fry or bake your raw meats. Cooking out the bacteria and parasites may take more time, or might not taste the way you like, but you can’t say we didn’t warn you!