Parasite Risk In Anchovies Varies Depending On Origin Of Fish

ScienceDaily (May 31, 2009) — The Anisakis spp parasite can still be found in one of the most emblematic Mediterranean dishes – anchovies in vinegar. Spanish researchers have shown the parasites are present at higher levels in anchovies from the south east Atlantic coast and the north eastern Mediterranean, and urge consumers to freeze or cook the fish before eating it.

Although the European Union and Spanish regulations require restaurants to freeze fish that is eaten raw, “people still run the risk of anisakiasis infection from homemade anchovies in vinegar if they have not got into the habit of freezing the fish for at least 24 hours at -20ºC”, according to a team of scientists from the University of Granada (UGR), which has found the larvae of Anisakis spp and another similar parasite, Hysterothylacium aduncum, in anchovies from the west of the Mediterranean Sea and the east of the Atlantic Ocean.

Read the full article - ScienceDaily (May 31, 2009)