CMFRI: Don't Avoid Tuna Over Parasite Reports From Other Regions
ICAR-CMFRI advises consumers not to shun tuna or other fish over parasite reports from a specific region, stressing safe handling and cooking.
The ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (ICAR-CMFRI), Kochi, has urged consumers not to avoid tuna or other commercially sold fish solely because parasitic infections have been reported in fish from a particular geographical region.
The advisory follows reports of parasites in skipjack tuna, based on a study of fish from the Atlantic Ocean off Brazil. According to the institute, fish examined along the Indian coast, including tuna, have not shown external manifestations of harmful parasitic infestation, and findings from other regions should not be generalised to fish caught in Indian waters.
ICAR-CMFRI noted that the presence and abundance of parasites can differ between individual fish and across geographies, shaped by ecological conditions and the availability of intermediate or secondary hosts such as copepods.
Dr Grinson George, Director of ICAR-CMFRI, said the institute's scientists routinely examine fish, including skipjack tuna, as part of fish biology studies, checking them for abnormalities and parasites when required. The fish they have examined do not show external signs of harmful parasitic infestation, he said.
The institute also pointed out that variations in parasite occurrence are used globally as indicators to differentiate fish stocks or populations. Findings relating to fish from one region therefore cannot be applied automatically to the same species elsewhere.
As a food-safety precaution, ICAR-CMFRI stressed the importance of proper and prompt evisceration during handling and processing, noting that intestines and other viscera are normally removed during cleaning. Adequate cooking also kills parasites and substantially lowers any associated food-safety risk.
The institute observed that in some countries raw or lightly cooked seafood is eaten as part of cultural practice, where the risk can be higher if parasite prevalence in that locality is high and has not been properly assessed. In India, seafood is generally cooked at high temperatures, which offers an added safeguard.
Consumers, the institute said, need not avoid tuna or other commercially available fish merely because parasites have been reported in fish from a specific region. It advised following appropriate handling, cleaning and cooking practices to minimise potential risks while continuing to draw on the nutritional benefits of fish and other seafood.