- Facebook user posted last month about finding a wriggling worm in the sashimi she had purchased from a Don Don Donki outlet in Singapore
- Learn more about how the parasite, called Anikasis, infects marine fish and squid with our graphic explainer below
A couple in Singapore found a parasitic worm in their ready-to-eat sashimi rice bowl. Photo: Facebook/Jayice TanA couple were enjoying their ready-to-eat sashimi rice bowl that they had bought from a Don Don Donki outlet in Singapore last month when one of them spotted “something unusual” on a piece of raw fish.
Upon taking a closer look, the pair were horrified to discover a live parasitic worm wriggling about.
“It was [an] alive and wriggling parasitic worm in the Kaisen Don ... What’s worse is that we’ve both eaten and [were] almost finishing it,” Jayice Tan wrote on Facebook. Her post also had videos and close-up pictures of the parasitic worm.
“It just makes us feel so uncomfortable and nauseated,” she added. “Never in our lives have we encountered parasitic worms in our food locally or overseas.”
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A spokesperson from Don Don Donki Singapore confirmed the incident.
“At Don Don Donki, proper cold chain management is maintained, and we make the best attempts to conduct thorough visual checks throughout the handling process,” the spokesperson said.
“However, we may not be able to remove the parasites entirely if they are hidden deep inside the core of the fish or embedded in the fish.”
The company added that parasites naturally thrived in aquatic environments and that it was not uncommon to find parasites in wild-caught fresh fish and seafood (see graphic).
The spokesperson for Don Don Donki Singapore referred to an advisory placed near its raw seafood displays which state that parasitic worms “can be prevented by cooking the fish adequately at temperatures which surpass higher than 60 degrees Celsius or by freezing it”.
According to the Singapore Food Agency (SFA), consumers who buy ready-to-eat raw fish should be aware of the risks involved.
“Ready-To-Eat (RTE) raw fish is considered a high-risk food as it does not go through a cooking process. Besides microbiological contamination, the consumption of RTE raw fish also carries a risk of contracting parasitic diseases,” the agency said. However, the risks from eating RTE raw fish can be reduced.
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In line with international standards, SFA conducts more stringent checks on food, like raw fish, which are more susceptible to food-borne diseases. They would be tested for a wide range of food-borne hazards including microbial pathogens and the presence of parasites, said the agency.
“As a general precaution, vulnerable people with a lower immunity system such as pregnant women, children and the elderly, or people with chronic diseases such as diabetes, should not consume raw fish,” said the agency.
Some Don Don Donki outlets in Singapore have since put up signs at the sashimi section that read: “Please be aware that Anikasis (a genus of parasitic nematodes that can infect consumers of raw or undercooked fresh fish) might be present in wild fish.”
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What happens when we eat parasitic nematodes?
Some people may experience a tingling sensation after or while eating raw or undercooked fish or squid. This is a result of the parasitic worm moving in the mouth or throat, and it can be removed by coughing it out.
But once it has been ingested, the worm can attach to the walls of our oesophagus, stomach or intestine. This can lead to anisakiasis, a form of parasitic disease. Eventually, the parasite dies and produces an inflamed mass.
Signs and symptoms of anisakiasis include abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and mild fever. It can also result in rashes and itching and in some cases, anaphylaxis – a potentially life-threatening type of allergic reaction.