Is Sushi Safe to Eat? A Chicago man sued a restaurant in 2008 for allegedly serving him a parasitic tapeworm along with his salmon. So what about the sushi or sashimi that hungry buyers pick up to go during the lunch hour rush? Sushi lovers need not fret about the raw fish they consume, food scientists say, as long as the sushi has been prepared properly according to regulations by the Food and Drug Administration. People preparing sushi themselves need to take extra care with both the raw fish and the rice. Raw fish poses several potential hazards for consumers besides parasites. Bacteria can develop in non-fresh fish and produce enzymes called histamines that may result in Scombroid poisoning. Certain tropical-water fish may also have a natural toxin called ciguatera which causes gastrointestinal and neurological symptoms. Sushi eaters don't typically have to worry because sushi restaurants take certain steps in handling and preparing their fish. A required step involves freezing fish at temperatures of -4 degrees Fahrenheit (-20 degrees Celsius) for seven days, or frozen at -31 degrees Fahrenheit (-35 degrees Celsius) for 15 hours, which kills any parasites.

"As far as sushi goes, the rules are in place because people were getting sick," said Keith Schneider, a microbiologist and food safety expert at the University of Florida. "The parasites are why we do the freezing on the raw fish." The cases of sushi-related illness fall far below the number of people sickened by contaminated produce such jalapeno peppers. Even in those rare cases, the rice in sushi is more often the culprit than the fish. "I got sick eating sushi at a place I go to occasionally — a fast food place, not a restaurant — and I could swear I came out with bacillus cereus," Schneider told LiveScience. The bacillus cereus bacteria can spread rapidly in rice that sits at room temperature. Sushi rice requires an acidic bath in a vinegary solution that lowers the PH to 4.1, killing troublemaking microbes and making sushi safer for the everyday foodie. Don't walk on the wild side Many sushi lovers feast contentedly on albacore or eel, but a few people aim for a more dangerous culinary experience by eating the raw flesh of a poisonous puffer fish called fugu.

Master fugu chefs sometimes include some of the poison in their prepared dish, which creates a tingly feeling on the lips when eaten. However, improperly prepared fugu can kill due to the fish's potent neurotoxin. "I consider it more of a dare than a delicacy," Schneider said. "There are people who kill themselves every year trying to make fugu, and it gives sushi a bad name." As for trying to make sushi with raw meat other than fish, best perish the thought.jiro dreams of sushi movie review "Raw chicken, raw beef has probably much greater risk," Schneider said, pointing to bacteria such as E. coli and salmonella that can sicken thousands each year in the United States. jiro dreams of sushi new yorker review"There are reasons you don't have chicken sushi."sushi delivery toronto bloor west

No food is completely without risk, but smart consumers can eat sensibly and enjoy – as long as fish are around. Expert tips for happy sushi eating The best bet for a good meal involves going to a restaurant or grabbing a sushi container from the local supermarket. If you absolutely want to prepare your own sushi, buy sushi-grade fish that has been frozen per FDA regulations. Eat your sushi as soon as possible, and do not let it sit in the fridge for more than 24 hours.sushi maki menu miami Follow Life's Little Mysteries on Twitter @llmysteries. sushi new york tribecaWe're also on Facebook & Google+.takeout sushi in winnipegI say sushi, you think raw fish. google:fieldtrialtriggered

This, perhaps, is the reason why the Japanese delicacy, unlike the noodle or the stir-fry, has not become a staple of British home cooking. But all that is about to change – at least if Yuki Gomi, 37, a Japanese sushi chef living in London, has anything to do with it. “In Japan, going to a sushi restaurant costs hundreds of pounds and is a real treat,” she says when we meet at her flat in Crystal Palace, south-east London. “But Japanese people make it at home all the time, usually without raw fish.” When a Japanese family goes for a picnic, sushi will always make an appearance – but smoked fish will also be used, which is less likely to spoil (salmon and mackerel are favourites). Children take sushi to school in their lunch boxes, made with tinned tuna. There are vegetarian options, including tamagoyaki, grilled egg sushi. “If you want to go the whole way and use raw fish,” says Gomi, “there are safe ways of doing it. If you have the confidence, you can make friends with a local fishmonger and get him to promise you that the fish can be eaten raw.

But the easiest way is to buy sushi-grade fish on the internet.” She recommends Kazari, which will deliver guaranteed sushi-grade fish to your door. Sushi is easy to make, extremely healthy and highly portable. It is also flexible; there are, Gomi says, “no rules”, and new combinations of fish or vegetables are waiting to be discovered. And when it is home-made, sushi can also be an impressive addition to a party. “It is simple, so long as you are precise,” she says. “Architects and surgeons make the best sushi.” Yuki Gomi encourages home cooks to find sushi-grade fish online (HEATHCLIFF O'MALLEY) Before thinking about the fish, however, it is important to get the rice right. It must be Japanese – which refers to the species rather than the country of origin – because it is high in starch, which makes it stickier than other varieties. Techniques for cooking perfect rice are closely guarded secrets for many Japanese chefs. Gomi, however, being “of a younger generation”, is happy to share her method, which she learnt from the masters (see right).

When the rice is ready, the creative part begins. First, Gomi demonstrates how to make temari. “When you go to a restaurant, you’ll probably have nigiri, rectangular slabs of rice with salmon or tuna on top,” she says. “Shaping the rice like that takes years of practice. Temari is the traditional home-made version, which is a lot easier.” Cutting a fillet of raw salmon is an art in itself (she points out that smoked salmon, mackerel or kipper can be substituted). Gomi uses a traditional yanagi-ba sushi knife, which is flat on one side and very thin; The trick, she says, is to hold your breath and make the cut in one movement, as if you are playing a violin. When the fish is sliced, she covers her left hand with cling film – an improvement on the traditional muslin – and lies a sliver of fish in the centre. A bolus of rice is placed on top, then the cling film is closed around it and twisted to make a tight sphere. When this is unwrapped, a ball-shaped piece of sushi is revealed, which can be garnished with sesame seeds, a sprig of parsley, or fish roe (tobiko).

Next, she makes the “inside-out roll”, also known as the “California roll”. For centuries, Japanese sushi roll had the nori (seaweed paper) on the outside. When it was introduced to California, however, the local chefs preferred to roll the sushi inside out so that the rice was on the outside. This was later exported back to Japan. She places a sheet of nori – she recommends the type produced by Clearspring (clearspring.co.uk) – on a board and covers it with a layer of rice. The rice is sprinkled with roe or sesame seeds, turned upside down onto a bamboo mat (available from Tesco, £1.99) and covered with cling film, before arranging the salmon and avocado, rolling, and slicing with a light sawing motion. Lastly, Gomi introduces the temaki sushi, which she says is a great informal party option. In a large bowl, she mixes scallops, flying fish roe, mayonnaise and avocado. This, together with a bowl of sushi rice and another of sliced vegetables, is placed on the table with a stack of nori.