Severe pain!
Beware of "anisakiasis"!
!!
June 24, 12:12
It was shiny and fresh horse mackerel sashimi.
She picked it up at a fish store and enjoyed dinner with her family.
Three days later ...
I will suffer from inexperienced pain.
The cause is "Anisakis", a parasite that is only a few centimeters long.
I don't want you to experience this suffering.
On that day, suffering from pain, I decided to interview.
(Radio Center reporter Kumiko Seko)
What is anisakiasis?
Anisakis larvae parasitizing fish and shellfish such as mackerel and horse mackerel.
It is a few centimeters long, and its body is covered with a tough membrane called the cuticle, which looks like white lint.
If it enters the human body alive, it will pierce the stomach and intestines, causing severe pain and vomiting.
This is food poisoning "anisakiasis".
If it sticks in the stomach, remove it with an endoscope.
By the way, I was only prescribed a pain reliever because it reached the intestines and was generally difficult to remove.
Although Anisakis that has entered the human body dies in about a week, it seems that the epigastrium has been stabbed many times with a thick needle, and it is not possible to stand upright.
I had to endure the severe pain after childbirth for three days.
We talked to Hiroshi Sugiyama, a visiting researcher at the National Institute of Infectious Diseases, who is familiar with anisakiasis.
Visiting Researcher Sugiyama, National Institute of Infectious Diseases
"It is called the fulminant type that causes severe symptoms. However, some people are asymptomatic. Even if Anisakis is stuck in the internal organs, it is not noticed and the human dock In some cases, it is found by chance. This has led to the suggestion that anisakiasis may be caused not only by the pain of stinging, but also by an allergic reaction. "
Why Anisakiasis Increases
In fact, it has been pointed out that this anisakiasis has been on the rise in recent years.
The number of anisakiasis reported to the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare in the last year was 344, which is the highest number of food poisoning cases, exceeding Campylobacter and norovirus.
In addition, according to estimates by the National Institute of Infectious Diseases based on the data on the medical fee statement, it is estimated that more than 7,000 people have anisakiasis annually.
Why is anisakiasis increasing?
One is that the existence of anisakiasis has become widely known, but it is deeply related to the development of transportation technology.
Anisakis dies when frozen, so there was no problem if the fish were frozen and transported.
However, with the development of transportation technology, it has become possible to transport fish raw, resulting in the fact that Anisakis is also transported alive with the fish.
It is said that 95% of anisakiasis occurring in the world occurs in Japan, and it is a food poisoning unique to Japan where raw food culture such as sashimi is rooted.
Then, isn't there a way to prevent anisakiasis?
I flew to Kumamoto when Kumamoto University developed the world's first technology to kill Anisakis.
Kill Anisakis with electricity!
How do you kill Anisakis?
It was "electricity".
Associate Professor Takao Namihira, Kumamoto University
"Electrical energy called" pulse power ". A voltage of 15,000 volts is applied to Anisakis, which parasitizes fish, for a moment in one millionth of a second. By repeating it 100 times, Anisakis can be electrocuted, including those that have entered the fish. "
In fact, the horse mackerel containing Anisakis was placed between the electrodes and pulsed.
It takes about 3 minutes.
Anisakis did not move at all when stimulated.
Then I flew to Fukuoka.
A fish processing company that is conducting joint research with Kumamoto University is actually proceeding with the trial introduction.
This company, which sells mackerel and horse mackerel for raw consumption to supermarkets, cuts fish into three pieces and then first removes Anisakis with an air shower or running water.
Furthermore, by shining an ultraviolet LED on the body of the fish and taking advantage of the characteristics of Anisakis that glows with ultraviolet rays, we have removed Anisakis near the surface.
However, the challenge was to get rid of Anisakis that had sneaked into the body of the fish.
The company is now producing a product of three grated horse mackerel that has been pulsed and shipping it on a trial basis.
When I tasted it, it was delicious because it was greasy and had a good texture.
Above all, I was able to eat with peace of mind that I wouldn't have to feel that severe pain again and that I wouldn't have anisakiasis.
In the experiments conducted so far, it seems that all Anisakis could be killed.
The umami component and elasticity are almost the same as those before pulse processing, and there is no problem with safety.
Japan Sea Foods President Yoichi Inoue
"Anisakis is a great threat to the fishery industry. I want to eliminate that risk at all costs. I want to spread this technology not only to our company but to the entire fishery industry to realize a society where delicious sashimi can be eaten. "
Currently, it can process only about 300 kg a day, but by 2025, it is aiming to develop a large machine that can process 4 tons a day.
But it's still three years later.
Is there any way to prevent anisakiasis now?
Anisakiasis How to prevent it?
I visited the visiting researcher Hiroshi Sugiyama of the National Institute of Infectious Diseases again.
Visiting Researcher Sugiyama, National Institute of Infectious Diseases
"First, heat and freeze.
▽ Heat at 60 degrees for 1 minute,
▽ Freeze at -20 degrees or less for 24 hours or more.
This will kill Anisakis."
Speaking of heating, it seems that it is okay if you cook grilled fish, boiled fish, etc. properly.
On the other hand, it is necessary to check the instruction manual for the freezer for home use to see if it can be set to -20 degrees or less.
Precautions when eating raw fish
What are the precautions when eating raw without heating or freezing?
Visiting Researcher Sugiyama, National Institute of Infectious Diseases
▼ Visually check
"Be sure to check for Anisakis before purchase or cooking, and if you find one, be sure to remove it."
▼ Buy fresh fish (remove internal organs)
" Anisakis is abundant in the internal organs, and when a fish dies, it moves from the internal organs to the muscles, that is, the body part. Especially for fishermen, remove the internal organs immediately after fishing and cool it in a cooler box. And please do not eat the internal organs raw. "
▼ It does not die even if it is sprinkled with salt, wasabi, soy sauce or vinegar.
" Even if you use these seasonings, Anisakis will not die in normal amounts. You need to be careful because it doesn't die. Also, some people say that you should chew well, but even if you are lucky enough to tear it, it may get stuck in the gastrointestinal tract. It is not recommended. "
Recently, it is said that there is no concern that Anisakis will infest if the artificially hatched fry are raised by feeding them with artificial food using underground seawater in "land-based aquaculture".
Anisakis is a food poisoning that occurs all year round.
We Japanese have enjoyed raw fish so far.
In order to protect this food culture, we need to be careful and taste the fish deliciously while expecting new technology.
Radio Center Reporter
Kumiko Seko
Joined in 2005 In
charge of coverage and production work on the radio
Favorite fish is tuna and horse mackerel
Favorite way to eat is sashimi