Among the lesser-known food-related issues associated with climate change, the rise of parasites in common foods has been largely overlooked. But warmer waters that extend farther and farther north are making an old problem worse, fast!
Parasites in fish just happen. But for hundreds of years, they weren’t a serious problem in salt-water species harvested in the North Atlantic or North Pacific oceans. Now, however, global warming has caused a sudden proliferation of fish ‘worm’ parasites that can be harmful to people…
A stealth danger
The rise of fish worm parasites has largely gone unregarded by the public in recent years. But it’s there, and it’s getting worse. So much so that health officials are warning it could quickly become an epidemic.
Remember the cod worm?
The last time we were warned about an upsurge in the instance parasites in commercial fish was a decade – maybe two – ago. Then-unusual climatic conditions had temporarily warmed the cod’s home seas. Just as the fish was coming back into consumer favour after almost being rendered extinct by uncontrolled fishing.
“Cod worm is a collective term for the larvae of various roundworms that live as parasites in sea creatures,” The fishing Daily explains. “They have a complex life cycle and depend on a variety of host species. They primarily inhabit the gastrointestinal tract of their hosts and typically cause no harm. […] Some may also reach the muscles, or fillets.”
Fortunately, proper preparation and cooking can kill these yucky invaders.
“The good news is that the worms are relatively [though not entirely] harmless if consumed unknowingly by the public,” Edible Southeastern Massachusetts advises. “Cooking a fillet for only 1 minute at 140 degrees will kill any worms, and if you freeze your fish for 60 hours [before cooking], all worms will be killed.”
Checking it out
If you want to check for parasites in your fresh, wild-caught fish, it’s as easy as holding the fillets up to a light. (See photo, above.) The example above is clean as a whistle. Otherwise, you would easily detect the shadow(s) of stringy little objects embedded in the flesh.
Most folks prefer to make a small incision with a sharp knife just alongside the worm and gently pull it out.
Not just sale water fish…
Of course, fish worms are not just a salt-water issue.
My Dad passed on to me a tip that I’ve used to evaluate fish fillets my whole adult life. He got it from his dad, who grew up on farm that backed onto a river where the locals traditionally fished for Black Bass and Pickerel (Walleye).
The Old Man used to say,’fishing season’ started when the ice went out, an ended when parasites started showing up in the fish (usually mid-summer). Back when he made the rule, there were no official government-mandated fish or game ‘seasons’.
My take
There’s no reason to shun fish completely, even if global warming is making parasites a much bigger problem than they used to be. The message is, be more aware of them and prep/cook your fish correctly.
Of more importance is that warming water farther north are making the traditional home waters of our familiar, preferred sea fish harder to find. And, thus, more pricey by the week…
~ Maggie J.