Most people have this concern of the health risks they would encounter from eating raw fish, specifically salmon. Salmon does taste good when eaten raw and it has become one of the top favorites in Japanese restaurants. The chefs at the sushi bars do enjoy serving them on vinegered rice, but do they also enjoy eating it? I have asked a few Japanese chefs that i know of, and the answer is they don’t.  In fact most chefs don’t.

As we know it, any form of raw meat, unless cooked would contain bacteria and pathogen. Of course the bacteria do not just appear out of thin air, they might have come in contact with the meat anytime before it is served, especially when it is not properly handled or kept (chilled, refrigerated).  Pollution in the sea could be another reason why it is tainted. Mercury poisoning is a common side effect from eating raw fish. Salmon is no exception to that, regardless of how tasty or popular it is. In fact all fishes are the same, and Salmon is mentioned specifically here because of its huge number of fans across the globe.

The question is, is it still safe to consume raw Salmon? With proper handling of the meat, yes. The mercury deposition in the fish meat in unavoidable, but if one does not eat raw fish everyday and every meal, it should be alright. The same goes for bacteria, as mentioned earlier, unless cooked, the meat would still contain bacteria in it. There should be a proper way to so called ‘treat’ the meat before it is served.

In a research project carried out on reducing bacteria level in salmon, the best way was to have the meat dipped in vinegar. The second best way, which is also what some Japanese restaurants do was  the use of lemon. Having the meat served with slices of lemon placed in between would kill most bacteria on the meat surface. At least, by doing so, the risks from the bacterial infection would be reduced. Furthermore,  personal hygiene is important when handling the meat.

Why would not the chefs eat their raw salmon, then? That’s simply because they know there are many other better quality fishes they could eat.

Eating your salmon raw would never be a problem, if you have taken the precautions. Enjoy!

Link to the project summary:

http://www.usc.edu/CSSF/History/2002/Projects/S1405.pdf