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I've seen cod with those worms in there flesh. Are they supposed to be removed before eating or are they ok?
Cod Worms?
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If you hold them up to a light you can see them easily and pick them out with a knife or tweezers.Guys have been eating them for a long time and ive never heard of anyone getting sick from them.I wouldnt eat cod sashimi but cooking or freezing will kill the worms.Dont sweat em.
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Vinny....once cooked they are like those french onion crunchies.... :razz:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxM7sBmvtW4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxM7sBmvtW4
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Actually freezing won't kill the worms, but they will die if the fish is cooked through. If you can stomach eating them, they are safe as long as they are dead, but it's pretty easy to pick them out before cooking.
I dunno.Last year when I fished Block Island there were a few in each of my fish.From what I hear they are a little more abundant this year,but that probly depends on who you ask.My opinion is theyre protein.
if you ever went to a meat packing plant youd probly never eat a steak again.
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Welcome back Tom
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I've had them at various depths of the fillet from one side to the other.
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Not true, they are inside of the meat(fillet)
Trust me, Ive cut thousands of them in my youth. I'd say 60-70% had worms
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ny65i307Rs0
Here is a cut & paste on them,
they have been around as long as I have seen Codfish cut open.
Bottom line? more Grey Seals, more worms around
How do round worms get into fish?
The life history of a parasitic round worm is complex. The adult lives in the stomach of a marine mammal, Phocanema in the grey seal and Anisakis mainly in dolphins, porpoises and whales. Eggs of the parasite pass into the sea with the mammal's excreta, and when the eggs hatch the microscopic larvae must invade a new host in order to develop. The larval worms of Anisakis are eaten by a small shrimplike crustacean, a euphausiid; the first host of Phocanema is a small isopod crustacean that lives on the sea bed.
When crustaceans infested with Anisakis or Phocanema are eaten by a fish the larval worms are released into its stomach. They then bore through the stomach wall and eventually become encased in the guts or in the flesh of the host fish. The life cycle of the parasite is completed when an infested fish is eaten by a suitable marine mammal.
Large fish tend to be more heavily infested by round worms than small fish of the same species. This is because large fish eat more, and therefore ingest greater numbers of parasites, and also because the larval worms, although inactive, can survive for a long time in fish, and therefore their numbers accumulate as the fish grows older.
Are round worms dangerous?
There have been cases of human illness caused by the ingestion of live Phocanema or Anisakis larvae in countries where raw or lightly cured fish is commonly eaten. By 1980, there had been only one reported case of illness in the United Kingdom caused by larval round worms from fish; this is because in the UK fish products are normally cooked before consumption. Phocanema and Anisakis larvae are killed in 1 minute at a temperature of 60°C or over. In practice this means that cooking a fillet 3 cm thick for 10 minutes at 60°C will kill any worms present. The temperature of a cold smoking process, for example kippering, is not high enough to kill parasites, but in a commercial hot smoking process a high enough temperature is usually maintained for long enough to kill them. Freezing of fish at - 20°C for 60 hours kills all worms.
they have been around as long as I have seen Codfish cut open.
Bottom line? more Grey Seals, more worms around
How do round worms get into fish?
The life history of a parasitic round worm is complex. The adult lives in the stomach of a marine mammal, Phocanema in the grey seal and Anisakis mainly in dolphins, porpoises and whales. Eggs of the parasite pass into the sea with the mammal's excreta, and when the eggs hatch the microscopic larvae must invade a new host in order to develop. The larval worms of Anisakis are eaten by a small shrimplike crustacean, a euphausiid; the first host of Phocanema is a small isopod crustacean that lives on the sea bed.
When crustaceans infested with Anisakis or Phocanema are eaten by a fish the larval worms are released into its stomach. They then bore through the stomach wall and eventually become encased in the guts or in the flesh of the host fish. The life cycle of the parasite is completed when an infested fish is eaten by a suitable marine mammal.
Large fish tend to be more heavily infested by round worms than small fish of the same species. This is because large fish eat more, and therefore ingest greater numbers of parasites, and also because the larval worms, although inactive, can survive for a long time in fish, and therefore their numbers accumulate as the fish grows older.
Are round worms dangerous?
There have been cases of human illness caused by the ingestion of live Phocanema or Anisakis larvae in countries where raw or lightly cured fish is commonly eaten. By 1980, there had been only one reported case of illness in the United Kingdom caused by larval round worms from fish; this is because in the UK fish products are normally cooked before consumption. Phocanema and Anisakis larvae are killed in 1 minute at a temperature of 60°C or over. In practice this means that cooking a fillet 3 cm thick for 10 minutes at 60°C will kill any worms present. The temperature of a cold smoking process, for example kippering, is not high enough to kill parasites, but in a commercial hot smoking process a high enough temperature is usually maintained for long enough to kill them. Freezing of fish at - 20°C for 60 hours kills all worms.
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Parasites in Marine Fishes
All living organisms, including fish, can have parasites. Parasites are a natural occurrence, not contamination. They are as common in fish as insects are in fruits and vegetables. Parasites do not present a health concern in thoroughly cooked fish. Parasites become a concern when consumers eat raw or lightly preserved fish such as sashimi, sushi, ceviche, and gravlax. When preparing these products, use commercially frozen fish. Alternatively, freeze the fish to an internal temperature of -4°F for at least 7 days to kill any parasites that may be present. Home freezers may not be cold enough to kill the parasites.
The health risk from parasites is far less than the risk from "unseen" illness causing bacteria which are present on almost all foods. Here are some commonly asked questions about fish parasites.
What are the worms that I sometimes see in fish I catch or buy?
Roundworms called nematodes are the most common parasite found in marine fishes. Some people call these nematodes herring worms or cod worms. Actually, several different species exist and it is hard to distinguish between them. All are in the family Anisakidae and are anisakid nematodes. Freshwater fish like trout and fish that spend part of their life in freshwater such as salmon may carry Diphyllobothrium tapeworm larvae. These small, whitish, and somewhat flabby worms are common in salmon from some areas of Alaska.
How do fish get parasites?
The life cycle of an anisakid nematode begins when seals or sea lions eat infected fish (Figure 1). The larval nematodes grow to maturity, and the marine mammal excretes the nematode eggs into the sea where they hatch. Shrimp-like animals eat the larvae, and fish eat the shrimp-like animals. The larvae then develop into the form we see in fish. The life cycle for a tapeworm is similar. Mammals or birds eat infected fish. The eggs hatch in freshwater. Crustaceans eat the eggs, freshwater and anadromous fish eat the crustaceans, and we eat the fish.
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Will parasites hurt me if I accidentally eat one?
Nematodes rarely cause health problems because they are uncommon in fish fillets and normal cooking easily destroys them. In most cases, swallowing a live nematode is harmless. The nematode passes through the intestine without causing problems. In rare cases, swallowing a live nematode larva can cause severe gastric upset called anisakiasis. This happens when the nematode attaches to or penetrates the intestinal lining. Nematodes do not find humans to be suitable hosts and will not live longer than 7-10 days in human digestive tracts.
Swallowing live tapeworm larvae can cause a tapeworm infestation. The tapeworms may live in the human intestinal tract for several years. Symptoms can include abdominal pain, weakness, weight loss and anemia. Doctors successfully treat tapeworm infections with medicines.
How long should I cook fish to kill parasites?
Cooking fish to an internal temperature of 140°F will kill all fish nematodes and tapeworms. Normal cooking procedures generally exceed this temperature.
How about smoking, pickling, and salting fish?
Heating hot-smoked fish to an internal temperature of at least 140°F will kill all fish nematodes and tapeworms. Normal hot-smoking procedures generally exceed this temperature. Dry-salting fish, or curing them in a saturated salt brine, for 5-7 days before pickling will kill nematodes and tapeworms. Pickling without salt curing may not destroy some nematodes.
Are raw and lightly marinated recipes safe?
Eating raw fish, just like eating raw meat or poultry, is riskier than eating cooked products. To minimize the risk, avoid eating raw or lightly marinated seafood unless the fish is free of parasites, or has been properly frozen. It is a common practice to use frozen fish in countries where raw fish dishes are traditional. Japan's National Health Institute recommends freezing fish to -4°F for several hours when preparing raw fish, or avoiding fish that are susceptible to parasites.
Canada's Health Protection Branch recommends using only commercially frozen fish in raw fish dishes because home freezers will not kill the parasites. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommends using fish frozen commercially for 7 days at -10°F or 15 hours at -31°F for raw fish dishes.
Why don't processors remove parasites from fish?
Good handling practices on-board fishing vessels and in processing plants minimize nematode infestation. Many seafood processors inspect seafood fillets of species likely to contain parasites. This process called candling involves examining fish fillets over lights. Candling detects surface parasites. Unfortunately, they cannot always see parasites embedded deep in thick fillets or in dark tissue.
What can consumers do if they find a worm in fish?
If a parasite is present in a fish, you have several options:
All living organisms, including fish, can have parasites. Parasites are a natural occurrence, not contamination. They are as common in fish as insects are in fruits and vegetables. Parasites do not present a health concern in thoroughly cooked fish. Parasites become a concern when consumers eat raw or lightly preserved fish such as sashimi, sushi, ceviche, and gravlax. When preparing these products, use commercially frozen fish. Alternatively, freeze the fish to an internal temperature of -4°F for at least 7 days to kill any parasites that may be present. Home freezers may not be cold enough to kill the parasites.
The health risk from parasites is far less than the risk from "unseen" illness causing bacteria which are present on almost all foods. Here are some commonly asked questions about fish parasites.
What are the worms that I sometimes see in fish I catch or buy?
Roundworms called nematodes are the most common parasite found in marine fishes. Some people call these nematodes herring worms or cod worms. Actually, several different species exist and it is hard to distinguish between them. All are in the family Anisakidae and are anisakid nematodes. Freshwater fish like trout and fish that spend part of their life in freshwater such as salmon may carry Diphyllobothrium tapeworm larvae. These small, whitish, and somewhat flabby worms are common in salmon from some areas of Alaska.
How do fish get parasites?
The life cycle of an anisakid nematode begins when seals or sea lions eat infected fish (Figure 1). The larval nematodes grow to maturity, and the marine mammal excretes the nematode eggs into the sea where they hatch. Shrimp-like animals eat the larvae, and fish eat the shrimp-like animals. The larvae then develop into the form we see in fish. The life cycle for a tapeworm is similar. Mammals or birds eat infected fish. The eggs hatch in freshwater. Crustaceans eat the eggs, freshwater and anadromous fish eat the crustaceans, and we eat the fish.
Will parasites hurt me if I accidentally eat one?
Nematodes rarely cause health problems because they are uncommon in fish fillets and normal cooking easily destroys them. In most cases, swallowing a live nematode is harmless. The nematode passes through the intestine without causing problems. In rare cases, swallowing a live nematode larva can cause severe gastric upset called anisakiasis. This happens when the nematode attaches to or penetrates the intestinal lining. Nematodes do not find humans to be suitable hosts and will not live longer than 7-10 days in human digestive tracts.
Swallowing live tapeworm larvae can cause a tapeworm infestation. The tapeworms may live in the human intestinal tract for several years. Symptoms can include abdominal pain, weakness, weight loss and anemia. Doctors successfully treat tapeworm infections with medicines.
How long should I cook fish to kill parasites?
Cooking fish to an internal temperature of 140°F will kill all fish nematodes and tapeworms. Normal cooking procedures generally exceed this temperature.
How about smoking, pickling, and salting fish?
Heating hot-smoked fish to an internal temperature of at least 140°F will kill all fish nematodes and tapeworms. Normal hot-smoking procedures generally exceed this temperature. Dry-salting fish, or curing them in a saturated salt brine, for 5-7 days before pickling will kill nematodes and tapeworms. Pickling without salt curing may not destroy some nematodes.
Are raw and lightly marinated recipes safe?
Eating raw fish, just like eating raw meat or poultry, is riskier than eating cooked products. To minimize the risk, avoid eating raw or lightly marinated seafood unless the fish is free of parasites, or has been properly frozen. It is a common practice to use frozen fish in countries where raw fish dishes are traditional. Japan's National Health Institute recommends freezing fish to -4°F for several hours when preparing raw fish, or avoiding fish that are susceptible to parasites.
Canada's Health Protection Branch recommends using only commercially frozen fish in raw fish dishes because home freezers will not kill the parasites. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommends using fish frozen commercially for 7 days at -10°F or 15 hours at -31°F for raw fish dishes.
Why don't processors remove parasites from fish?
Good handling practices on-board fishing vessels and in processing plants minimize nematode infestation. Many seafood processors inspect seafood fillets of species likely to contain parasites. This process called candling involves examining fish fillets over lights. Candling detects surface parasites. Unfortunately, they cannot always see parasites embedded deep in thick fillets or in dark tissue.
What can consumers do if they find a worm in fish?
If a parasite is present in a fish, you have several options:
- Remove the parasite, examine the fish for others and cook the fish. Thorough cooking kills all parasites
- Notify the store where you bought the fish so that the store can carefully inspect remaining fish.
- Depending on the return policy of the particular store, you may wish to return or exchange the unused portion.
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DROVE FOR A SUPERMARKET CHAIN FOR 15 YRS. IF YOU EVER SAW WHAT WENT ON YOU WOULD NEVER EAT AGAIN.
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