I’m going to Japan.Is it safe to eat sushi?

Andrew A.

Dear Andrew,

That’s a great question. There is probably no safer place to eat sushi than in Japan where chefs take as long as ten years to properly train. Are there risks? Sure. But, unless you are pregnant or have a weakened immune system, it is hard to imagine going to Japan and not giving sushi a try.

Here are a few things to keep in mind:

• Completely cooked fish is safer to eat than raw fish.
• Choose a restaurant or a stand busy with locals where it is more likely that sushi fish will be properly prepared and handled.
• Limit how much tuna you eat. Tuna is high in mercury. Try smaller fish and shrimp which have lower mercury counts.

Here’s the bad news. If you do encounter raw fish parasites, the effects can range from mild discomfort to severe illness, depending on the type of worm you ingest. Most parasites cause nausea, cramps, and diarrhea but there are cases where surgery may be needed. Fortunately incidents of illness from sushi are few and far between particularly in Japan.

As always, I recommend checking with a Travel Clinics of America travel medicine physician before your departure to insure you receive all needed vaccinations and travel medications. Be sure to ask about Japanese encephalitis if you are headed to Japan.

Dr. Alla Kirsch