A woman shocked the internet when she posted a video of her salmon from Whole Foods containing what appears to be a parasite. Viewers are claiming this is why customers should only purchase farm-raised salmon.
On Aug. 8, Simone Alexandria (@simonealexandria7) documented her unusual salmon in a viral TikTok that has amassed 158,000 views as of Saturday.
What Did The Woman Find In Her Whole Foods’ Salmon?
“I don’t know what’s going on here but look at this,” she said, zooming in on the salmon.
“Oh my god… there’s another one,” said another woman behind the camera.
Overwhelmingly, commenters were cautioning the poster against buying wild salmon.
“Always buy farm-raised salmon if it is fresh,” wrote one user. “9/10 all wild caught has parasites because they ingest prey in the wild that may have them. If they’re frozen first, you should be fine with wild caught because the parasites die when frozen.”
“Never buy fresh,” added another. “Only buy frozen farm raised.”
Some commenters chimed in with advice to prevent this predicament.
“If you buy it fresh and then freeze your salmon for a few hours/days and then thaw it out and cook it, you’ll never see these,” suggested one individual.
How Common Are Parasites In Salmon?
While the video looks alarming, parasites in fish are not necessarily a sign that a retailer mishandled the product. Parasites can occur naturally in wild-caught fish. The FDA classifies parasites in edible fish flesh as a naturally occurring defect.
Usually, threadlike organisms in salmon tend to be parasitic nematodes. One important group includes Anisakis, commonly known as herring worms. The CDC says humans can become infected by eating raw or undercooked marine fish containing these larvae.
Wild salmon generally face a greater parasite risk than farmed salmon. Wild fish encounter the natural food chain that allows parasites to circulate.
That does not mean farm-raised salmon can never contain parasites. Researchers have documented occasional nematodes in farmed salmon. However, the risk is considered negligible.
What Should You Do If You See Parasites In Your Salmon?
Cooking salmon properly provides the most important protection. The CDC recommends cooking finfish to an internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit.
Freezing can also kill parasites. The FDA recommends specific time-and-temperature combinations, including seven days at -4 degrees Fahrenheit. Simply putting fresh salmon in a typical home freezer for “a few hours” does not meet that standard.
There are also regulatory safeguards. FDA guidance calls for controls when processors know fish will be eaten raw. Processors can use freezing, trimming, candling, and physical parasite removal as control measures. Visual inspection can detect many parasites, but it cannot guarantee their complete removal.
The FDA Food Code also specifically exempts aquacultured fish, including salmon, from mandatory parasite-destruction freezing requirements that apply to many other fish. That exemption reflects the lower parasite risk associated with properly raised aquaculture salmon.
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♬ original sound – ❤️Ebony❤️
Subplot reached out for comment to Alexandria via TikTok Direct message and the TikTok comment section, and Whole Foods via email.
