Also, top class sashimi restaurants even in Japan make sure that salmon, either farmed or wild should be frozen before consumption. Japanese don't eat salmon without previous freezing. I hope US FDA regulation require, not recommend to freeze all fish if intended to consume as raw for safety. Good deep freezing of fish for one to two days without temperature fluctuation may cause slight changes in fine microscopic muscle structure, but human taste bud really doesn't feel it, particularly in the case of oily fish.
Jin Kim
USDA-ARS-ASRU
Pine Bluff, AR 71601
870) 575-8087
jkim@spa.ars.usda.gov
>>> Pamela Tom <pdtom@ucdavis.edu> 07/25/05 01:38AM >>>
It is not uncommon for sashimi destined tuna to be frozen on-board for the
Japanese market. Vessels may be out to sea for numerous days and the fish
itself may go through several marketing channels before reaching the
consumer's plate. Cryogenic temperatures may reach from -40C to -60C.
http://www.jica.go.jp/english/publication/network/2001/net_vol12/food01.html
(mentions -60 C)
"Tsukiji: The Great Tokyo Fish Market," November 1995, National
Geographic magazine (mentions -40C)
============================================================================================
"Freezing and storing at -4°F (-20°C) or below for 7 days (total time), or
freezing at -31°F (-35°C) or below until solid and storing at -31°F
(-35°C) or below for 15 hours, or freezing at -31°F (-35°C) or below until
solid and storing at -4°F (-20°C) or below for 24 hours is sufficient to
kill parasites. FDA's Food Code recommends these freezing conditions to
retailers who provide fish intended for raw consumption."
Source: US FDA Fish and Fisheries Products Hazards and Controls Guidance,
Ch. 5, Parasites (3rd ed., 2001),
http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~comm/haccp4e.html
Pamela Tom
University of California
Sea Grant Extension Program
On Mon, 25 Jul 2005, Hannah Williams wrote:
> In Western Australia we export sashimi lobster to Asian markets. The lobster has been frozen using cryogenic freezing then held under standard freezing conditions. Sensory evaluation conducted in Japan has shown that this produces minimal changes in the flesh texture when compared to freshly 'killed' lobster.
>
> Hannah Williams
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-seafood@ucdavis.edu [mailto:owner-seafood@ucdavis.edu]On Behalf Of William Ambrose Johnson
> Sent: Friday, 22 July 2005 11:59 PM
> To: richard@fishonline.co.uk; seafood@ucdavis.edu
> Subject: RE: Fish for raw consumption in US
>
>
>
> I can certainly support the contention that the freezing process alters the texture of the flesh. The best sashimi comes from fresh fish that has been chilled only.
>
> Ambrose Johnson
>
>
> From: "Richard Chivers" <richard@fishonline.co.uk>
> Reply-To: <richard@fishonline.co.uk>
> To: "seafood" <seafood@ucdavis.edu>
> Subject: Fish for raw consumption in US
> Date: Fri, 22 Jul 2005 15:11:25 +0100
>
> I have a client here in the UK who would like to supply a restaurant with
> fish for sashimi but our regulations require it to be frozen for 24 hrs
> at -20ºC unless he can produce evidence that parasites do not present a
> health hazard in the product. Unfortunately, the client's Japanese wife
> does not agree with the freezing process, claiming that it damages the
> texture of the flesh. So what happens in the US where there are many more
> sashimi outlets than here? Is the fish frozen, or is there another solution
> that maintains the flesh quality.
>
> I would like to know what the current US legislation says about methods of
> killing nematode parasites in wild caught fish to be consumed raw, such as
> in sashimi.
>
> Many thanks
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