WORMS FOUND IN LOCAL COSTCO SALMON; TAPEWORMS NOW FOUND IN ALASKAN AND PACIFIC FISH

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By Miriam Raftery

Photo: U.S. Centers for Disease Control

August 26, 2017 (San Diego) – Live worms have been found in packages of salmon sold at multiple Costco stores in San Diego County, 10 News reports.  The report does not name the type of worm, however, CNN reports that Japanese tapeworms are now being found in wild Alaskan salmon and could be in salmon caught anywhere along the Pacific Coast.

Other types of fish can also carry tapeworms or different parasites, so health experts advise to eat only frozen or thoroughly cooked fish in order to destroy worms and larvae.   Tapeworms cause infection and sometimes serious problems if consumed by humans in raw fish such as Sushi, smoked or marinated fish such as in Ceviche, the College of Medical Physicians Canada warns.

Consumer raw or undercooked fish containing a tapeworm or other parasite may have no symptoms, though cramping, nausea, watery diarrhea and weight loss are common.  Less commonly, tapeworm consumption may result in severe impacts including intestinal blockage and painful inflammation of bile ducts.

If you discover segments of tapeworms floating in water with your stools when you use the bathroom, you should collect a sample and ask your doctor to send it to a lab for testing, since tapeworm infections are treated with specialized antibiotics that are tailored to the specific type of worm infestation.


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Comments

vegetarians rule

There also are tapeworm larvae in salmon. Four species of Pacific salmon are known to carry Japanese tapeworm infections: chum salmon, masu salmon, pink salmon and sockeye salmon. Because these salmon are exported on ice -- unfrozen -- and then appear in restaurants around the world, infections caused by the Japanese tapeworm may occur anywhere, from China to Europe, from New Zealand to Ohio. So forget ordering salmon and sushi in restaurants, and cook the salmon. The Japanese tapeworm can grow to thirty feet long, a definite intestinal problem. Cooking at 145 Fahrenheit for four or five minutes will (or may) destroy the tapeworm here.

Worms in salmon and other reasons to stop eating fishes

Add this to the list of good reasons to stop eating fishes. Besides the health risks including ridiculous amounts of mercury and other dangerous contaminants, there are indications that the oceans will be effectively devoid of fishes ("seafood") by the year 2048 if we continue to take them at the rate we currently do. http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2006/11/061102-seafood-threat.html Fishes and all sea animals are sentient beings deserving of our concern. http://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2016/06/20/482468094/fish-have-feelings-too-the-inner-lives-of-our-underwater-cousins

Fish have many health benefits, however.

Salmon are especially high in omega fatty acids that are good for brain health and have anti-inflammatory properties.  Fish is a healthier, leaner protein source than  beef or pork.  Chicken has its own share of problems ranging from unethical treatment of chickens at many farms to high rates of salmonella in factory-farmed chickens.There are trade-offs and concerns regarding many food sources.

I hope Costco will consider a new source for its salmon, but that's no guarantee there won't be problems elsewhere.  As with e-coli, salmonella and other contaminants in foods these days, the answer is to cook fish and meats thoroughly.  Of course if you see a worm, you can also take the package back for a refund.

I'm from New England.

Take away my seafood and let's just say I won't be very happy with you.

"Your Seafood"

I'm not sure how I could take away "your seafood." It seems it will be done naturally anyway at the rate we humans are emptying the oceans.

Good!

More lobster for me!

Worms

I've seen worms in fish at the store, the man at the counter removed the package but I didn't buy salmon after that.