Is Walmart Salmon Safe to Eat Raw? Here’s What I Found Out
Eating raw salmon can be delicious, especially in dishes like sushi and poke bowls. As a salmon lover and sushi fanatic, I often crave the tender texture and rich flavor of raw salmon. However, I used to always wonder – is the affordable salmon I grab at Walmart safe to eat raw at home? Or do I need to shell out extra cash for sushi-grade salmon?
I did some research to find out if Walmart salmon can be eaten raw or if it poses health risks Keep reading to learn what I discovered about the safety of consuming raw salmon from Walmart
The Potential Risks of Eating Raw Walmart Salmon
Eating any raw seafood comes with some inherent risks. Raw salmon from standard grocery stores like Walmart may contain:
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Parasites – Salmon is prone to parasitic worms like tapeworms and roundworms These nasty critters can end up in your intestines if you eat infected raw salmon Cooking kills parasites, but they survive in raw fish.
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Bacteria – Salmon can pick up bacteria like salmonella and E. coli during processing and handling. Consuming contaminated raw salmon can cause food poisoning.
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Environmental toxins – Farmed salmon are prone to absorbing chemicals like PCBs from fish feed and their environment.
The main issue is that regular grocery store salmon isn’t frozen solid at the ultra-low temperatures needed to kill parasites and bacteria.
While flash freezing salmon helps reduce risks to an extent, Walmart’s freezing methods aren’t considered sufficient to make the fish safe for raw consumption.
Overall, raw salmon sold at standard supermarkets like Walmart is not considered safe to eat raw by food safety experts. Consuming it raw comes with some degree of risk.
What Makes Sushi-Grade Salmon Safe for Raw Consumption
If you’re hankering for raw salmon, look for fish labeled as “sushi-grade” or “sashimi-grade” to eat it as safely as possible. Here’s what distinguishes sushi-grade salmon:
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Frozen at ultralow temperatures – Sushi-grade salmon is frozen solid at -31°F or below for 7+ days to kill parasites.
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Careful handling and processing – Sushi-grade fish is processed minimally with meticulous sanitation to prevent bacterial growth.
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Freshly thawed – It’s thawed immediately before serving and never refrozen after thawing.
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High quality – Care is taken to provide unblemished, fatty fish with bright colors that hold up when served raw.
I compared the looks of regular Walmart salmon versus sushi-grade salmon side-by-side and it was clear the sushi-grade fish was superior in color, texture, smell, and labeling for raw consumption.
Tips for Safely Consuming Raw Salmon at Home
If you’re prepping your own sushi, sashimi or poke bowls using raw salmon, follow these tips for maximum safety:
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Seek out reputable fish markets and grocers specializing in sushi-grade seafood. Don’t assume all raw fish is created equal.
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Look for the labels “sushi-grade” or “sashimi-grade” to ensure the salmon was frozen properly to destroy parasites.
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Select salmon with vibrant, glossy coloration without discoloration or smell. Check for firm flesh that bounces back when touched.
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Store sushi-grade salmon below 38°F wrapped tightly to prevent oxidation. Thaw in the refrigerator before serving raw.
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Avoid cross-contamination by using separate cutting boards, knives and utensils for raw versus cooked foods.
The Takeaway on Raw Walmart Salmon
So back to our original question – can you safely eat raw salmon from Walmart? Based on my research, the answer seems to be no.
Salmon sold at everyday grocery stores like Walmart is not intended or labeled for raw consumption. It likely hasn’t undergone solid freezing at cold enough temperatures to destroy parasites and bacteria.
For the safest raw salmon at home, seek out sushi- or sashimi-grade fish handled with care to reduce risks. While pricier, it’s worth the extra peace of mind!
Walmart salmon is still tasty and nutritious cooked. But if you’re preparing your own sushi, poke bowls or other dishes using raw salmon, it’s smarter to splurge on specialty sushi-grade salmon for quality and safety.
Which types of salmon can and cannot be eaten raw?
It might be pricey to go to your favorite sushi place, and it might be a long drive to the international grocery store that has sushi-grade raw fish.
Can you eat raw salmon from the store, whether it’s fresh or frozen? Find out when it’s safe to eat raw fish, what kinds you should buy, and what kinds you should stay away from.
Most people understand that eating raw and undercooked meat can be extremely dangerous to their health. Raw meats can contain bacteria and parasites that cause food poisoning.
Fish meat can be different. Sometimes, its safe to eat raw fish, but in other situations, you should avoid it. This information will help you stay healthy when you eat raw fish, whether you’re looking for raw salmon for a sushi recipe or you just like it plain.
Wild-caught salmon
Salmon labeled “wild-caught” is often considered healthier for various reasons. These fish are full of omega-3 fatty acids, can grow in a safe place, and can eat a wide range of algae, fish, and plankton in the wild.
Living in the wild comes with a cost, though: parasites. Salmon that are caught in the wild are more likely to get sick because they eat more infected food than farmed salmon, whose food is made by humans and doesn’t contain any parasites. Its not a good idea to eat raw, wild-caught salmon unless you know its been flash-frozen first.
Farm-raised salmon
When you buy raw sushi at the store, the best fish to eat is farm-raised salmon, especially fish that has been flash frozen. There is a bad reputation for fish farms in the health food community, but fish raised in captivity are less likely to get parasitic diseases for three reasons:
- They are not out in the wild looking for their own food, so they probably won’t eat food that has been contaminated.
- They are raised in ways that are meant to keep them healthy and free of disease.
- Before they are sent to stores and restaurants, they are almost always frozen.
Smoked salmon
This salty delicacy is used in dishes as wide-ranging as gourmet appetizer plates and grocery store sushi. You can put it in pasta dishes or scramble it with eggs. If you eat it at a party, you probably haven’t thought about where it came from, but if you bought it and brought it home, you might be wondering if it’s safe to eat.
Smoked salmon isn’t technically raw — but it hasn’t been traditionally cooked, either. Still, smoked salmon that has been cured with smoke and salt in a traditional smokehouse or a larger food preparation plant is safe to eat.
If the cook doesn’t know how to smoke meat right, homemade smoked salmon might still be raw. If this is the case, it probably isn’t safe to eat.
Dangers of eating unsafe raw salmon
Bacterial food poisoning
When you eat raw salmon, you’re susceptible to bacterial food poisoning like listeriosis. It’s not common to get sick from Listeria monocytogenes bacteria, but if your immune system is weak or you’re pregnant, it can really hurt you.
It is most often found in salmon that has been handled badly or “cold-smoked” at too high of a temperature. Stay safe and don’t eat raw salmon if you are in a group that is more likely to get sick from food. If you’re not, still be very careful to only eat high-quality raw fish from a reputable source.
Anisakiasis
Raw salmon can contain several different types of parasites, including anisakiasis. Anisakiasis is another name for “herring worm disease.” It is spread when people eat raw fish or squid that has had the parasite’s larvae on it. The parasites’ eggs or larvae can then live for a while in the person’s digestive system before dying.
This disease can cause vomiting, fever, bloating, and even a severe allergic reaction. People may need surgery to remove the parasite if it stays in their GI tract for too long.
Tapeworms
Tapeworms can be an unfortunate consequence of eating raw salmon that wasn’t flash-frozen. It can also happen if you eat fresh, raw salmon that was caught in the wild and got a tapeworm in its home water. You can’t be sure that a wild-caught fish doesn’t have tapeworms. For example, your salmon could be free of parasites because it was caught in a place where tapeworms are common, or it could have lived its whole life in water full of them.
What Types Of Fresh and Frozen Salmon Can You Eat Raw? Walmart? Whole Foods?
FAQ
Is it okay to eat raw salmon from Walmart?
Is it safe to eat supermarket salmon raw?
How can you tell if raw salmon is safe?
What fish is safe to eat raw from grocery store?
Can you eat salmon Raw from a grocery store?
Yes, you can eat salmon raw from high-quality grocery stores if it’s been previously frozen. “Sushi grade” doesn’t have a legal definition. It’s simply up to the grocery store to say if something is safe to eat raw. But salmon can contain parasites, so buying previously frozen ensures any parasites are killed.
Can you eat frozen salmon raw?
Shop for farm-raised frozen salmon. Also, look for packaging that states the fish is safe for raw consumption. If it doesn’t say that, look for flash-frozen or some type of similar wording. Flash-frozen, farm-raised salmon will be the safest fish to eat raw. Just remember that you have to be comfortable with a certain amount of risk.
Is raw salmon healthy?
While it may just be my experience, raw salmon is delicious and fun to eat. The dishes it can be used in are brilliant and healthy while still being tasty and filling. Raw salmon is very healthy for you and is a good food to add to your diet and try to eat at least once a week.
Can you eat Costco salmon raw?
You can eat Costco salmon raw under certain conditions. However, I would not eat raw salmon from Walmart. Costco has trustworthy labeling, high volume, and fresh fish that never sit for too long. Walmart instead focuses more on low price than quality. But that’s a quick snapshot, so let’s explore each grocer one at a time.