is sushi dangerous?

Question

tell the truth please =) dont just be like "no its awesome! i love sushi!" thank you! =DD

Answer 1

There Are Potential Dangers....Fugu aside. Here's a link to an article on the various dangers (Posting the whole thing would be rude)..

http://www.marlerclark.com/news/reno-sushi.htm

One thing it doesn't point out is the origin of the sushi & the conditions of the Restaurant. Rule of thumb - avoid buffets, don't eat sushi that's been sitting out for awhile and go to High quality restaurants where you can sit at the bar & watch them. The places I frequent - fly it in direct from Japan & if it smells funny or they have concern they throw it out. Prices vary and I've never gotten sick in 8 yrs of eating sushi.

Answer 2

It depends. First off we must realize that sushi is not raw fish. Sushi is simply a particular kind of sticky short grain rice that has been seasoned (with sweet rice vinegar) with a topping. Everything else is toppings, so there are a million and one kinds a of sushi that are pretty darn safe, especially ones with cooked toppings such as egg or unagi (bbq eel) as well as any with vegetables. It can be dangerous when there is raw fish or meat on it so always be careful, do your research before going to a restaurant. Generally it is very safe (ive never gotten sick from it). Even if one does get sick often times it is a 24 hour illness (still serious but not usually deadly). The other concern is in the rice itself, improperly stored cooked grains (i.e. cooked rice) can host bacillus cerius (a bacteria that grows on grain), which can be serious, however the vinegar in the rice would usually prevent this, and it is also a pretty rare bacteria.

Answer 3

Some say sushi can be unhealthy because of the raw fish. There are organisms in uncooked fish that remain in the fish until they are cooked. I believe most restaurants handle the fish well so you should not have to worry about getting sick. Restaurants have specific requirements on the type of fish they use for sushi that must meet certain health requirements. Also, many of the raw fish used for sushi is frozen first which kills the parasites.

There are plenty of sushi out there that do not contain raw fish but instead they are filled with veggies, radish, avocado, caviar, and I've even had sushi with smoked fish .. I think they were anchovies.

Answer 4

Just FYI: "sushi" refers to the sticky rice that's used to adhere the ingredients together. It's treated with a certain kind of vinegar which releases alot of the starch in the rice, making it extra sticky. In modern times, though, "sushi" has come to refer to sashimi, which is uncooked (or very lightly cooked) fresh seafood, and also maki, which simply means "rolled", which may be almost any sort of filling.

That being said, eating raw (or undercooked) seafood CAN be a health issue, for people with compromised immune systems (immunodeficiency disorders), elderly people, small children, or anyone who has recently suffered from a gastrointestinal ailment (for example, a "stomach flu", recent food poisoning, or gastric surgery).

Most modern sushi restaurants have highly skilled chefs, follow proper sanitation procedures, etc. For a healthy person, the risk of illness is quite minimal. If you're healthy, but still concerned, ask people to recommend a good restaurant. If they tell you that they eat there all the time (and have never gotten sick), then you're as safe as you're ever going to be.

Answer 5

There is always a risk associated with eating raw seafood (which is actually called "sashimi"; "sushi" refers to the rice and may be served with sashimi in or on it or not) but if it is prepared properly it is usually safe. I've eaten sushi and sashimi several times and have never gotten sick from it. I usually go to a good quality Japanese restaurant that specializes in sashimi and sushi, though. I tend to steer clear of "mall food court" sushi or sushi at a chinese buffet. I'm not necessarily saying those are bad, but they usually don't specialize in sushi so you don't really know how well the quality is. If you are unsure, stick with California roll, which uses cooked crab.

Answer 6

Sushi can be very dangerous. Pregnant women should not eat sushi. There is a risk of food poisoning as well as tape worm. Know your source and make sure it hasn't been hanging around any longer than 24 hours.

Answer 7

Sushi might be particularly dangerous to pregnant woman, because sushi can contain bacteria that can be dangerous to you and your baby. More precisely, pregnant women and infants are high risk groups in regard to a pathogenic organism called Listeria monocytogenes. This is also found in raw fish, along with many cheeses, especially soft cheeses, such as Brie.

Large fish (such as tuna) contain a high level of mercury (which we cannot get rid of), and are happens to be extra harmful to your baby. Additionally, shellfish and bottom feeders are especially prone to contain pollutants from the water. Therefore, in addition to the increased potential exposure to bacterial and viral infections, sushi and sashimi are both not recommended for women that are pregnant.

I received a myth from a friend and I cannot yet determine its truth and fact, and this is how it goes:
This is a true case of a Japanese man who developed headaches after having a meal of sushi, and when he got himself checked, brain scan and x-rays revealed that tapeworms are seen in the brain!
Don't take this seriously though, it still remains a myth.

So are you prepared to eat sushi again?

Answer 8

no, it's not dangerous. unless you eat too much of it. but what isn't dangerous if you eat too much of it? chill out and eat some sushi

Answer 9

If it isn't prepared properly, then yes.

Go to a qualified restaurant because you've got to remember they're handling raw fish.

Answer 10

Only if you go to a shady place with really low standards. It really does pay to go a high quality place.