Worm

Percy Stipec

Active Member
Holy fak! I just went to eat some of my prized specimens (flounders that I caught on the weekend) and I noticed that the fillets had coiled up worms inside them. What troubles me more is that I ate a bunch yesterday! Has anyone ever seen this or know of it and how to avoid it? I have never seen it before but I have heard of it in cod. I would appreciate any feedback thanks.
 
If you hold the filet in front of a light bulb, the bigger parasites are easier to see and cut/pull out. Called candling. Or freeze first and cook well. Or serve to neighbours you don't like. Were they sole or starry flounders?
 
Sole, yeah I looked at it with the light bulb and there were so many worms, can't believe I ate so many.
 
Percy,
this may make you feel somewhat better,
[h=1]Seafood Safety[/h]
general.gif
[h=2]Seafood Safety Topics[/h] [h=5]Parasites[/h] Download (156k pdf)
This section describes food safety issues associated with naturally occurring parasites that could be associated with certain types of seafood products. Information on how to select and handle seafood products to avoid foodborne illness is provided.
All living organisms, including fish, can have parasites. Parasites are a natural occurrence, not contamination. They are as common in fish as insects are in fruits and vegetables. Parasites do not present a health concern in thoroughly cooked fish.
Parasites become a concern when consumers eat raw or lightly preserved fish such as sashimi, sushi, ceviche, and gravlax. When preparing these products, use commercially frozen fish. Alternatively, freeze the fish to an internal temperature of -4°F for at least 7 days to kill any parasites that may be present. Home freezers are usually between 0°F and 10°F and may not be cold enough to kill the parasites.
The health risk from parasites is far less than the risk from “unseen” illness causing bacteria which are present in almost all foods.
Roundworms called nematodes are the most common parasite found in marine fishes. Some people call these nematodes herring worms or cod worms. Actually, several different species exist and it is hard to distinguish between them. All are in the family Anisakidae and are anisakid nematodes (see information below).
Freshwater fish like trout and fish that spend part of their life in freshwater, such as salmon, may carry Diphyllobothrium tapeworm larvae (see information below). These small, whitish, and somewhat flabby worms are common in salmon from some areas of Alaska.
The life cycle of an anisakid nematode begins when seals or sea lions eat infected fish The larval nematodes grow to maturity, and the marine mammal excretes the nematode eggs into the sea where they hatch. Shrimp-like animals eat the larvae, and fish eat the shrimp . The larvae then develop into the form we see in fish.
The life cycle for a tapeworm is similar. Mammals or birds eat infected fish. The eggs hatch in freshwater. Crustaceans eat the eggs, freshwater and anadromous fish eat the crustaceans, and we eat the fish.
Many consumers prefer the delicate flavor and texture of uncooked fish found in sushi and sashimi (thin slices of raw finfish) dishes. But there should be caution in consuming raw fish because some species of fish can contain these harmful worms. Eating raw, lightly cured, or insufficiently cooked infected fish can transfer the live worms to humans. Most of these parasites cannot adapt to human hosts. Often, if an infected fish is eaten, the parasites may be digested with no ill effects. Adequate freezing or cooking fish will kill any parasites that may be present. Raw fish (such as sushi or sashimi) or foods made with raw fish (such as ceviche) are more likely to contain parasites or bacteria than foods made from cooked fish, so it's important to cook fish thoroughly (at least 145°F for 15 seconds) or use commercially frozen seafood in raw dishes.
[h=3]Two types of parasitic worms can infect humans:[/h] 1. Anisakiasis is caused by ingesting the larvae of several types of roundworm which are found in saltwater fish such as cod, plaice, halibut, rockfish, herring, Pollock, sea bass and flounder.
2. Tapeworm infections occur after ingesting the larvae of diphyllobothrium which is found in freshwater fish such as pike, perch and anadromous (fresh-saltwater) fish such as salmon.
During commercial freezing fish is frozen solid at a temperature of -35°F and stored at this temperature or below for a minimum of 15 hours to kill parasites. Most home freezers have temperatures at 0°F to 10°F and may not be cold enough to kill parasites because it can take up to 7 days at -4°F or below to kill parasites, especially in large fish. Good handling practices on-board fishing vessels and in processing plants can minimize nematode infestation. Many seafood processors inspect seafood fillets of species likely to contain parasites. This process called candling involves examining fish fillets over lights. Candling detects surface parasites. Unfortunately, they cannot always see parasites embedded deep in thick fillets or in dark tissue. Candling is also useful for revealing pinbones in fillets that are intended to be boneless.
Fish is also safe to eat after it is cooked to an internal temperature of 145°F for 15 seconds. Normal cooking procedures generally exceed this temperature. If a thermometer is not available to check the internal temperature of the thickest portion of the fish, the fish should be cooked until it loses its translucency and flakes easily with a fork.
If a parasite is present in a fish, you have several options:

  • Remove the parasite, examine the fish for others and cook the fish. Thorough cooking kills all parasites
  • Notify the store where you bought the fish so that the store can carefully inspect remaining fish.
  • Depending on the return policy of the particular store, you may wish to return or exchange the unused portion
 
All fish have worms it seems it once cook it your ok thats why for sushi etc your supposed to freeze for a bit, ive sen some pretty gross things in our fish. sometimes its better not to know LOL if you saw whats in beef,pork,chicken or store bought canned salmon well lets say just ignore and carry on...you will be fine.... im sure you didnt know but you have ate worse..
 
Chicken too. In the late 80s I worked a couple years at a chicken processing plant. Took a looooong time for me to be able to eat chicken again.
 
Chicken too. In the late 80s I worked a couple years at a chicken processing plant. Took a looooong time for me to be able to eat chicken again.
I worked for B.C. Packers in the 80's and watched what was coming off the boats and onto the canning lines. While I have no issues with canned salmon (its well cooked during the canning process), I still to this day have a lot of difficulty with "fresh" Commercial salmon. More often than not those fish came of out the holds after being in a slurry for days, even weeks, Uncleaned, gills still in, blaaaaach!. They would have white gills, belly burned, ribs pulling out. I am sure that quality control has improved since then, but I still see those fish in my nightmares. ;-)
 
Thanks for all the feedback guys. I think I cooked the stuff that I ate pretty well so I should be good, and I'm sure I have eaten worse and not known it as was mentioned earlier.
 
YES fin totally know what your talking about when i was about 16 did a lil stint at the clover leaf one where the CC is now and saw the "slurry" thing to this day I wont eat canned salmon....yuck
 
I've seen greenlings loaded with worms so I stopped keeping them don't care how much batter or how long it's been frozen can't get the worms out of my head lol! I call those fish crab bait, seems once a year I catch a salmon and the meat is riddled with white beads and when you pop them it's clear liquid inside. Reminds me of the white bead like things in potting soil and it's all through the meat. Crab bait again unfortunately. Only 2 fish over a couple of years so they were isolated catches.
 
I have noticed these pin worms under the skin in coho salmon area 27 NWCVI.The worm makes a bump on the scales and lifts the scale .The last few years the problem is worsening ,1 in 5 fish are affected, more fish are showing with worms every year.Release most wormy fish .Have noticed that eating the worms after cooking will give mussle aches in the next following days.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Percy,
this may make you feel somewhat better,
[h=1]Seafood Safety[/h]
general.gif
[h=2]Seafood Safety Topics[/h] [h=5]Parasites[/h] Download (156k pdf)
This section describes food safety issues associated with naturally occurring parasites that could be associated with certain types of seafood products. Information on how to select and handle seafood products to avoid foodborne illness is provided.
All living organisms, including fish, can have parasites. Parasites are a natural occurrence, not contamination. They are as common in fish as insects are in fruits and vegetables. Parasites do not present a health concern in thoroughly cooked fish.
Parasites become a concern when consumers eat raw or lightly preserved fish such as sashimi, sushi, ceviche, and gravlax. When preparing these products, use commercially frozen fish. Alternatively, freeze the fish to an internal temperature of -4°F for at least 7 days to kill any parasites that may be present. Home freezers are usually between 0°F and 10°F and may not be cold enough to kill the parasites.
The health risk from parasites is far less than the risk from “unseen” illness causing bacteria which are present in almost all foods.
Roundworms called nematodes are the most common parasite found in marine fishes. Some people call these nematodes herring worms or cod worms. Actually, several different species exist and it is hard to distinguish between them. All are in the family Anisakidae and are anisakid nematodes (see information below).
Freshwater fish like trout and fish that spend part of their life in freshwater, such as salmon, may carry Diphyllobothrium tapeworm larvae (see information below). These small, whitish, and somewhat flabby worms are common in salmon from some areas of Alaska.
The life cycle of an anisakid nematode begins when seals or sea lions eat infected fish The larval nematodes grow to maturity, and the marine mammal excretes the nematode eggs into the sea where they hatch. Shrimp-like animals eat the larvae, and fish eat the shrimp . The larvae then develop into the form we see in fish.
The life cycle for a tapeworm is similar. Mammals or birds eat infected fish. The eggs hatch in freshwater. Crustaceans eat the eggs, freshwater and anadromous fish eat the crustaceans, and we eat the fish.
Many consumers prefer the delicate flavor and texture of uncooked fish found in sushi and sashimi (thin slices of raw finfish) dishes. But there should be caution in consuming raw fish because some species of fish can contain these harmful worms. Eating raw, lightly cured, or insufficiently cooked infected fish can transfer the live worms to humans. Most of these parasites cannot adapt to human hosts. Often, if an infected fish is eaten, the parasites may be digested with no ill effects. Adequate freezing or cooking fish will kill any parasites that may be present. Raw fish (such as sushi or sashimi) or foods made with raw fish (such as ceviche) are more likely to contain parasites or bacteria than foods made from cooked fish, so it's important to cook fish thoroughly (at least 145°F for 15 seconds) or use commercially frozen seafood in raw dishes.
[h=3]Two types of parasitic worms can infect humans:[/h] 1. Anisakiasis is caused by ingesting the larvae of several types of roundworm which are found in saltwater fish such as cod, plaice, halibut, rockfish, herring, Pollock, sea bass and flounder.
2. Tapeworm infections occur after ingesting the larvae of diphyllobothrium which is found in freshwater fish such as pike, perch and anadromous (fresh-saltwater) fish such as salmon.
During commercial freezing fish is frozen solid at a temperature of -35°F and stored at this temperature or below for a minimum of 15 hours to kill parasites. Most home freezers have temperatures at 0°F to 10°F and may not be cold enough to kill parasites because it can take up to 7 days at -4°F or below to kill parasites, especially in large fish. Good handling practices on-board fishing vessels and in processing plants can minimize nematode infestation. Many seafood processors inspect seafood fillets of species likely to contain parasites. This process called candling involves examining fish fillets over lights. Candling detects surface parasites. Unfortunately, they cannot always see parasites embedded deep in thick fillets or in dark tissue. Candling is also useful for revealing pinbones in fillets that are intended to be boneless.
Fish is also safe to eat after it is cooked to an internal temperature of 145°F for 15 seconds. Normal cooking procedures generally exceed this temperature. If a thermometer is not available to check the internal temperature of the thickest portion of the fish, the fish should be cooked until it loses its translucency and flakes easily with a fork.
If a parasite is present in a fish, you have several options:

  • Remove the parasite, examine the fish for others and cook the fish. Thorough cooking kills all parasites
  • Notify the store where you bought the fish so that the store can carefully inspect remaining fish.
  • Depending on the return policy of the particular store, you may wish to return or exchange the unused portion
If you want to have fish for sashimi but concern about parasite and don't have a commercial freezer; wrap the fish (deboned & skinned) in Saranwrap and place in a Styrofoam container (with lid) that is just a little bit bigger than the fish and place a block of dry ice on top (with some crumpled paper in between). Put cover on and place entire thing in fridge or a larger cooler. Let sit undisturbed for 72 hours. Dry ice is minus 78.5 Celsius, sufficiently cold to kill parasites in 16+ hours. This technique works best with the Styrofoam containers used to ship pharmaceuticals.
 
I have noticed these pin worms under the skin in coho salmon area 27 NWCVI.The worm makes a bump on the scales and lifts the scale .The last few years the problem is worsening ,1 in 5 fish are affected, more fish are showing with worms every year.Release most wormy fish .Have noticed that eating the worms after cooking will give mussle aches in the next following days.

I've seen the similar thing. Also, the white pustules in the flesh. Fish farm disease? who knows. Never saw it in the 80's or 90's.
 
All animals have parasites.
Worms in fish are very common as well as in beef, pork, and chicken.
Freeze fish before you eat it.
Cut out the worms before you cook it.
Halis and Lings are loaded but mostly in the belly meat.
If you haven't seen them before you either haven't caught a lot of fish or you need glasses.
Cut out the ones you see and eat the rest.
Wont kill you or I'd have been dead a long time ago.
 
All animals have parasites.
Worms in fish are very common as well as in beef, pork, and chicken.
Freeze fish before you eat it.
Cut out the worms before you cook it.
Halis and Lings are loaded but mostly in the belly meat.
If you haven't seen them before you either haven't caught a lot of fish or you need glasses.
Cut out the ones you see and eat the rest.
Wont kill you or I'd have been dead a long time ago.

Hahaha. Well put! I could actually stand to lose a few pounds anyways ;)
 
Back
Top