Salmon / Samon – Risk of Parasites: High (in the wild), Low Costco stocks various varieties of salmon based on your location: Sockeye salmon Steelhead salmon King salmon Typically, this fish is both fresh and of high quality, processed quickly and thoroughly.
Look for “farmed Atlantic salmon” or “farmed Alaskan salmon” when shopping for salmon for sushi. It is imperative that only farmed salmon be used for sushi, as salmon, especially wild salmon, carries a high risk of parasites. Feed pellets are used to prevent farmed salmon from consuming parasite-infected prey.
In an examination of 37 salmon farms, no parasites were detected. Even though wild salmon has a superior flavor, it must be flash-frozen to kill parasites in the flesh. Costco freezes its salmon, but does not adhere to FDA guidelines for parasite destruction.
What qualifies as sushi-grade salmon?
The term “sushi-grade” refers to fish that is safe to prepare and consume raw. Sushi-quality fish are quickly captured, bled upon capture, gutted shortly thereafter, and iced thoroughly. Salmon and other parasitic fish must be frozen at 0°F for 7 days or flash-frozen at -35°F for 15 hours.
Fresh fish should be translucent, bright, and shiny. Even though most sushi restaurants use frozen fish, you can still tell that it has been “preserved freshness” by looking at it. Fish that has been frozen retains its vibrant hue and uniform appearance, devoid of spots or discoloration.
What is the distinction between uncooked salmon and sushi-grade salmon?
Exists a distinction between sushi-grade and regular salmon? – The sushi-grade salmon has been flash-frozen on the boat immediately after capture and held at -4°F or lower for at least 15 hours. Regular salmon may or may not have been frozen, and it was probably not frozen on the boat, making it more susceptible to parasites.
Like most fish, regular salmon is susceptible to parasites in the freshwater in which it lives. Eating food that has not been grilled, boiled, or fried is a surefire way to contract food-borne illnesses. After being caught and gutted, sushi-grade salmon is meticulously cleaned and flash-frozen at -40 degrees Celsius to kill parasites.
The flash-freezing method is an advanced freezing technique that has no negative impact on the quality, freshness, or flavor of the fish. You’re shopping for tuna at Trader Joe’s, but you’re unsure of its quality. Can you eat Trader Joe’s ahi tuna raw? Does TJ sell fish suitable for sushi? And is frozen ahi tuna sushi-worthy? In a recent article, I explored these topics and others.