Re: Parasites in Red Tuna

From: Amilcar Caputo (caput100@chapman.edu)
Date: Wed Jan 10 2007 - 16:42:29 PST

  • Next message: Pamela Tom: "RE: Parasites in Red Tuna"

    Well, guys, if you look at the "Fish and Fisheries Products Hazards &
    Control Guidance" (third edition), there are some Tuna (specially small
    ones) that do have parasite's hazards. That's on page 36.

    Regards,

    Amilcar Caputo, M.S.
    Fuji Food Products, Inc.

    > No parasites of health concern? Really? I seem to remember reading in
    > Desowitz's book (New Guinea Tapeworms and Jewish Grandmothers) about
    > someone getting a rather nasty (round?) worm from eating raw tuna. Pete
    >
    >
    > Peter A. Nelson
    > Marine Advisor
    > California Sea Grant
    > Adjunct Professor
    > Dept Fish. Biol., Humboldt State University
    > 2 Commercial Street, Suite 4
    > Eureka, California 95501
    >
    > Tel 707.443.8369
    > Fax 707.445.3901
    > panelson@ucdavis.edu
    >
    >
    > On Jan 10, 2007, at 10:36 AM, John Kaneko wrote:
    >
    >> Janani,
    >>
    >> What species of tuna are you referring to as "red tuna". Do you
    >> mean yellowfin, bigeye, or bluefin?
    >>
    >> These species of tuna are commonly eaten raw as sashimi. They do
    >> not contain parasites of public health concern in the edible
    >> muscle. Therefore freezing these fish prior to raw consumption is
    >> not necessary.
    >>
    >> Freezing temperatures for tuna for other reasons such as
    >> transportation, storage, etc. depends on the intended end use. For
    >> canning raw material, freezer temperatures need not be very low.
    >> The raw frozen tuna oxidizes and turns brown. But after cooking and
    >> canning, the color of the raw muscle is not an issue.
    >>
    >> To retain the natural red color and muscle clarity required for the
    >> sashimi market, freezing must be done at sea immediately and at
    >> ultra low temperatures (ULT). This requires specialized equipment.
    >> ULT frozen tuna is common in Japan because of the distance the fish
    >> must travel from the fishing grounds to the market and not because
    >> of a parasite food safety risk.
    >>
    >> Frozen tuna treated with carbon monoxide does not need to be frozen
    >> or shipped at ultra low temperatures because the carbon monoxide
    >> prevents the natural oxidation that would otherwise result in the
    >> normal color change from red to brown. Carbon monoxide treated tuna
    >> retains its unnatural red color without requiring ULT freezer
    >> temperatures.
    >>
    >> Aloha,
    >>
    >> John Kaneko MS, DVM
    >> PacMar Inc.
    >> Honolulu, Hawaii
    >> ----- Original Message -----
    >> From: Janani Tulasendrapuram
    >> To: seafood@ucdavis.edu
    >> Sent: Wednesday, January 10, 2007 6:09 AM
    >> Subject: Parasites in Red Tuna
    >>
    >> Good morning,
    >> This is regarding parasites in Red Tuna. Is there a published
    >> lethality table that deals with temperatures above -20C? FDA says
    >> -35C for 15 hours is a good as -20C for 7 days. But what if you
    >> could only guarantee -10C in the transportation chain? How many
    >> days at -10C would you need?
    >> I would appreciate it, if anyone can pass along any information
    >> regarding the above.
    >>
    >> Thanks and have a nice day!
    >>
    >>
    >> -Janani Tulasendrapuram
    >>
    >
    >

    Amilcar Caputo
    Cell: (714) 448 5355



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