96% of Skipjack Tuna in One Study Carried Parasites

A study of 53 skipjack tuna found parasites in 96% of the fish, including worms in muscle tissue that people eat.

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A small study from Brazil has put an unsettling detail about seafood under the microscope. Researchers examined 53 skipjack tuna and found signs of parasite contamination in 96 percent of them. More than 1,600 parasites were counted, with the intestines showing the heaviest burden, followed by muscle tissue and the stomach. The researchers identified parasite groups including Anisakis and Trypanorhyncha. The finding does not mean that eating tuna is automatically dangerous, and it does not show that 96 percent of all tuna worldwide carry parasites. The study looked at a limited group of fish from one location and one period. Parasites are a normal part of marine ecosystems, and seafood intended for people is subject to inspection and processing. For raw or undercooked fish, parasite control can involve carefully managed freezing or cooking. Anisakis is one parasite group that can cause illness when live larvae are eaten in raw or undercooked marine fish, although the risk varies by species and preparation. The study is most notable for the unusually high rate of contamination in this particular sample and for finding parasites in muscle tissue, the part of the fish people commonly eat. The researchers emphasize inspection and prompt removal of internal organs to reduce the chance of larvae moving into the muscle.

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