Sushi

Question
Hello, and thank you so much for your time. I didn't know who to ask concerning this question cause I don't have any doctors in the family. What is the odds and risk of me contracting a parasite or getting salmonella poisoning from sushi at the local Japanese for Chinese restaurant? How often do people get it on a daily basis? Thank you so much! I love sushi but I fear every time I eat it.

Answer
Hello Josh,

Well, I can't give you a numeric figure, but I can say the instance is very low!
Every restaurant requires certain safety precautions are taken with all your food and your food service workers. There are state health department inspections and if a restaurant is not preparing your food safely they are closed down!
You can usually ask to see the last inspection report and many restaurants post it in their front entrance area along with their license obtained from the health department.
There are specifics required for sushi fish, which must be held at a much colder temperature than other foods because they are served raw.

If there is a case of food poisoning it is reported to the CDC, the local health department, and the restaurant may be closed... so the restaurant does NOT want you getting food poisoning (like I tell people who are afraid to go in for surgery--the doctor REALLY doesn't want you to die on the table because that's big trouble for him, too! So he will take every precaution for your safety).

If your concern is raw fish, consider sticking with cooked sushi like California rolls, vegetables, eel, shrimp, flying fish eggs, and other cooked items.

I've never personally gotten sick from sushi and never heard of anyone I know who got sick from it, so I wouldn't be too concerned... you probably have as much chance getting sick in any other restaurant that cooks any type of animal flesh from the raw state!

Laurie

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