The Student Room Group

raw tuna from supermarket - like sushi?

i am a fan of sashimi and will often eat raw slices of tuna and salmon when in sushi restaurants.

now, if i went to somewhere like sainsbury's, got a decent fillet of tuna, could i just cut it up myself and eat it raw straight out of the pack?

is there anything about the fish in japanese restaurants which would make it safer to eat than a supermarket fillet?

Reply 1

umm, I think you'd be fine. But be FUSSY about your tuna. The better you can buy the better it will be. Look for dark, firm flesh too. Try a fishmonger. :smile:

Reply 2

Never, ever buy fish from a supermarket!

But as for your original question, the products in the supermarket have not been prepared as if they were intended to be ready to eat. For that they would need to have been produced in a highrisk department where staff only work with one type of fish, wash their hands several times before entering the department, change their shoes and put on clean overalls every day. This is not done in the departments that produce raw fish. You will end up ill!

Reply 3

right. so a fishmonger is the way forward? how about a fishmonger within a supermarket?

Reply 4

Quite frankly almost no fish you can buy anywhere will have been handled in a clean enough environment or be fresh enough. I'd love to make my own sushi, but I've never found a fishmonger willing to tell me that their fish is safe to eat raw.

Reply 5

so if you're cooking a fillet tuna at home, how come many people will have it medium-rare, or sometimes even seared?

Reply 6

silence
so if you're cooking a fillet tuna at home, how come many people will have it medium-rare, or sometimes even seared?

to heat it just enough to kill all. the majority of bacteria on the fillet, but still have a tender juicyness

Reply 7

PseudoPhoenix
to heat it just enough to kill all. the majority of bacteria on the fillet, but still have a tender juicyness


dito.
if you cook it too much it will taste and have the texture of tinned tuna, and you might as well buy that instead.

Reply 8

You won't die if you eat raw supermarket fish! I've eaten raw salmon fillets many times and never been ill. You just have to be careful. e.g. buy the freshest possible, look for the latest sell by date and don't buy reduced to clear fish if it is to be eaten raw! I'd avoid 'value' salmon for sushi purposes.

If possible buy the wild salmon as opposed to farmed salmon which may be less healthy fish (many fish in small space = fish faeces in close proximity and more chance of illness).

If you're still worried, wash the fish carefully and sear lightly - not that it'll destroy many pathogens but it'd help a bit.

Reply 9

seared tuna salad :coma: tuna tartare: http://aww.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=41077

Reply 10

No Future
You won't die if you eat raw supermarket fish! I've eaten raw salmon fillets many times and never been ill. You just have to be careful. e.g. buy the freshest possible, look for the latest sell by date and don't buy reduced to clear fish if it is to be eaten raw! I'd avoid 'value' salmon for sushi purposes.

If possible buy the wild salmon as opposed to farmed salmon which may be less healthy fish (many fish in small space = fish faeces in close proximity and more chance of illness).

If you're still worried, wash the fish carefully and sear lightly - not that it'll destroy many pathogens but it'd help a bit.


as for salmon, i think that you are supposed to freeze it before you use it as sushi.

Reply 11

i will try this with the best quality supermarket fish i can find. will post results, if any, up here soon.

Reply 12

_EMMA_
as for salmon, i think that you are supposed to freeze it before you use it as sushi.

Freezing makes it safer, but isn't so good for the flavour. Most sushi outside of Japan is frozen, I believe.

Reply 13

silence
right. so a fishmonger is the way forward? how about a fishmonger within a supermarket?


They are a lot better, more hygenic and fresher than off the shelf, but still not very good due to the amount of time it takes for the fish to reach each store.