If the supermarket farmed salmon says "Not for raw consumption" on the label, can I still use it to make sushi?

Question

I have done my homework and read several reputable sources on this (e.g. this). The consensus on sushi-grade fish seems to be

I just bought some fresh, never frozen farmed salmon, but the label says "not for raw consumption". Can I still use it for sushi/sashimi?

I think that you're possibly drawing incorrect conclusions from your research . There may not technically be a "grade" of fish for sushi, but there are different processes that are used to reduce risk for fish that's intended to be eaten raw (frozen immediately after catching and/or reduced time from when it's caught to served), and you've bought something that's clearly not intended for that. But the good news is that "sushi" includes some cooked preparations, so yes, you could cook it and use it for sushi. But not sashimi. — Joe, Dec 7, 2020 at 18:28

Anastasia Zendaya · Accepted Answer · 2020-12-06 05:23:21Z

7

Can I still use it for sushi/sashimi?

Assuming you mean the standard raw-fish preparation method, no.

When the label points out clearly not for raw consumption, believe it or not, it's not even worth the risk.

Take my advice: Make some golden-brown crusted seared salmon!

answered Dec 6, 2020 at 5:23

Anastasia Zendaya

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1

+1 but suitable-for-sushi raw fish is so hard to come by outside Japan...
– Eddie Kal
Dec 6, 2020 at 8:15
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Why? This answer only emphasizes the label but doesn't explain why.
– Rob
Dec 6, 2020 at 10:22
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As described by Serious Eats here, the big problem with buying fresh fish and then freezing it at home is that home freezers don't get cold enough to reliably kill off some of the parasites. The FDA recommends chilling it down to -31f for about a day. They also suggest -4f for a week should work, and this is more in the realm of what home freezers can do, but not all of them, and not everyone has theirs set that low
– BThompson
Dec 7, 2020 at 14:19
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@user89857 Whether freezing will kill the parasites or just put them to sleep depends on just how cold it gets. To quote the FDA from the guide I linked, "The effectiveness of freezing to kill parasites depends on several factors, including the temperature of the freezing process, the length of time needed to freeze the fish tissue, the length of time the fish is held frozen, the species and source of the fish, and the type of parasite present."
– BThompson
Dec 7, 2020 at 14:22
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@BThompson To be "very sure", you'll also buy fish that doesn't explicitly say that it's not for raw consumption.
– Anastasia Zendaya
Dec 7, 2020 at 14:54

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