Sushi, ceviche, crudo, poke…all of them seem crazy popular right now from what I see online and I understand why. Raw or “acid cooked” fish tastes great, looks great, and if prepared correctly, has no ill-health effects. However as I talked about in my post about sushi grade fish, if the products are not stored and handled properly you can have a big problem with parasites. One particular parasite known in Japan, which infects a few thousand people per year, is now being seen much more in the West, where sushi is now sold at supermarkets, run-down food courts at the mall, and gas stations.

It is known as Anisakis simplex and there is no medication for an infection of this nematode. In rare cases, the parasite has to be removed from a patient’s stomach using endoscopy. The range of symptoms include pain, nausea, chronic ulcers and even life-threatening…