Worms in my monkfish! Still alive!!!!

So on Sunday I purchased 5 monkfish tails from my favorite Japanese fish market.

Skinning and filleting them this evening to recreate mapo fish fillet I was shocked to find worms in the flesh and belly of the fish AND THEY WERE STILL ALIVE!!! WTF!!!!

They were MOVING as I pulled them out (I can't believe I touched them). At first I thought it was just part of the fish as I was prepping them, but they immediately curled and moved when touched! ARGH!!!!

Wikipedia identified them as anisakis (not diphyllobothrium).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anisakis

I know I've seen them "dead" on fish sold at other markets from time to time (usually in the discount section of Asian fish markets - to remain nameless).

I'm shocked and disappointed as this market is one of my typical weekly stops not only for seafood but sashimi-grade fish. They were the most reputable and beautiful fish market I'd ever encountered in the states, and now I'm disillusioned.

I can't believe that they didn't know the fish had worms as they had gutted the fish previously; It would have been worms galore (as each fish had multiple worms in each).

I'm just also really surprised that they were still living considering freezing should typically kill them. They'd sat in my fridge since Sunday as well.

I'm so sad sad sad... I don't think I can bring myself to eat their raw fish again nor to continue purchasing fish from them. I guess it's back to Costco for me.

Anyone else ever find parasites/worms in your food? And eat it anyways? After fully cooking it of course. I couldn't bring myself to do it.... even if humans are an "end-host" for anisakis. Gross...

It is pretty digusting isn't it?! The first time was when I was working at a sushi restaurant (not mentioning names!), but the chefs were huddled over the counter and I took a peek. They then pointed out multiple worms in a piece of black cod! Needless to say they called the fish supplier and threw the entire order of the cod out.

Ever since that day, I refuse to eat cod (no more miso black cod for me!), and I am extra careful when I prepare fish!

Hold on a moment. This happened to me once, with Turbot. Grossed me out. Hubby and I wound up eating out, but I saved the fish and returned it to the supermarket where I had purchased it. They were non-plussed about it - they apologized, but said it does happen sometimes.

Then, I called the local health department. And I learned that, unless fish is sushi or sashimi grade, it is normal for it to sometimes have small worms or other nasties. Had I cooked the whole filet instead of cutting it up for stir fry, they would have shriveled up too small to see in the cooking process and I wouldn't have even known they were there.

I still didn't quite believe it, so I did some research with the FDA website - and gosh darn if it wasn't true! It was so many years ago that I don't have the research handy anymore. And, despite everything I learned, I've never bought turbot and I've never bought any fish from that place again.

I had that with halibut one time. Seems to be more common with bottom feeding fish. I wouldn't fault the supplier as these fish come out of the ocean with parasites...nothing the retailer can do about it. Maybe live worms are a sign of fresh fish. Worms probably can't survive for months in the deep freeze.

Hi,

A couple of years ago, there was another discussion of fish parasites.

Regards,

Jay K wrote:Anyone else ever find parasites/worms in your food? And eat it anyways? After fully cooking it of course. I couldn't bring myself to do it.... even if humans are an "end-host" for anisakis. Gross...

Small worms often inhabit the wild mushrooms I collect. I usually try to trim away as much of the infestation as I can. After slicing the mushrooms, some (most?) of the remaining worms or worm portions try to escape to freedom on the counter, but you know some remains in concentrations much greater than the FDA permits for insect parts or rodent feces. But I figure a good cooking with some salt, and a dose of denial makes it delicious.

Bill/SFNM

I have found worms in largemouth bass and northern pike that I have caught ... and they were still alive.

Take the fish back and get a refund.

Monkfish is notorious for parasite infestation. I love it(the monkfish, not the infestation) but a friend, after years of working in professional kitchens, won't eat it or several other fish due to the prevalence of worms.

Wow! I guess I really shouldn't be so surprised re: the experiences since so many on LTH are accomplished cooks.

I'm sure the market I bought it from will offer a refund (I saved a small portion w/ worm in the freezer - didn't have space for all 5 fish).

I often see the worms in cod and now scrutinize any cod steaks I buy in Asian markets, but finding them in such abundance and still alive in the monkfish was really very gross - something about them squirming btwn fingers was not cool. In fact I think I found a "cyst or egg collection" after I filleted one of 'em.

I think I will have to swear off fish for a little while, before I can regain my taste for it.

Bill/SFNM- I'd always envied your morel and other mushroom hunting/finds in SFNM, but the info re: worms makes me think otherwise.

Jay K wrote:Bill/SFNM- I'd always envied your morel and other mushroom hunting/finds in SFNM, but the info re: worms makes me think otherwise.

The 2006 season there were almost no worms in the porcini. Last year, almost all had some worms. Sadly, many had to be trashed. Looking forward to a bountiful, worm-free summer of fungus.

"Worms in my Monkfish" is a great band name.

Santander wrote:"Worms in my Monkfish" is a great band name.

I'm sure they already have a myspace page





puts me in mind of that great Lard cover from years back:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Power_of_Lard

Just adding my two cents to the worm discussion, but after finding worms in swordfish once, I had to swear it off and have never eaten it since. I hear though, it's very common.

Please. I'm begging you. Change the title of this thread, because it makes me sick to my stomach every time I see it. And fraidy scared!

"Maybe live worms are a sign of fresh fish. "

teatpuller, I really don't hope that is the case.

I have seen worms before in wild mushrooms, especially if they are not fresh. But never in fish. This thread is grossing me out.

Jay K wrote:I was shocked to find worms in the flesh and belly of the fish AND THEY WERE STILL ALIVE!!! WTF!!!!

My brother in-law, a veteran of the Chicago PD, used to work security for one of the, then, tony streeterville hotels. He loved telling a story, which I thought apocryphal, about worms wiggling out of fresh fish. To hear him tell it they were 3-4 inches high and doing the Cha Cha.

The brother in-law loves to tell a story, especially when he has a glass of Southern Comfort in hand, seems this particular tale has more basis in fact than I previously thought. (Guess the next Southern Comfort is on me)

Enjoy,
Gary

I'm actually having "nightmares" about this now - I'm dreaming I'm at a restaurant and find live worms in the food.

I'm also dreaming where I visit markets that are selling "bugs" in their produce sections, which I suppose is entirely true in other ethnic regions.

Ugh... this really was one image I didn't need set in my mind.

I've found "worms" in morels before. (I think they are actually maggots or some other insect larvae, not worms). It's shocking the first time you see them, but really it's not such a big deal, considering they aren't cultivated and grow on the forest floor - of course little bugs are going to find their way into those little nooks. I make a habit of soaking morels in warm salted water before cooking - this draws out and kills any little guests. I love wild mushrooms far to much to be put off by this.

Wormy fish, though? I don't know, I think I'm off fish for a while after reading this thread.

I've seen morels that were veritable maggot condos, and long, round headed worms in amberjack a good number of times.
(Stay tuned for further episodes of "As The Worm Turns")

I don't think I'd ever eat meat or fish I found something living in, but somehow it seems more natural in produce.

If you grow your own vegetables, you get used to worms and other live critters in the food. Obviously you wash produce well and remove bugs before eating or cooking the food, cutting away any damaged sections. I typically soak home-grown veggies in salt water, and give them several rinses to remove dirt and insects. A salad spinner can be very helpful.

Morels are usually infested with worms. I have seen all kinds of advice like this site, saying not to wash or soak morels, but having no interest in eating the worms, I also soak them in salt water before cooking. The number of worms that swim out can be startling.

After reading this thread, I don't feel so bad about developing my allergy to fish.

Question: Does seafood also have worms?

I think the biggest "haul" of insects in produce I'd ever had involved a batch of bean-leaf (snow pea greens) and aphids. I must have washed the batch over 10 times and the water (in a salad spinner) kept coming up with tons of the spindly legged creatures swirling around. Seriously hundreds of them. It was a little gross, but better than worms, although I couldn't bring myself to stir-fry 'em together with the greens.

I think I'm off morels too - maggots? C'mon, man... maggots?

Liz in Norwood Park wrote:After reading this thread, I don't feel so bad about developing my allergy to fish.

If you read the wiki thread about the worms, it says many people who think they're allergic to fish are actually allergic to "chemicals" left in worm-infested flesh. They have anaphylactic reactions to "stuff" left by the worms.

Maybe you're just allergic to worm "stuff"

Hmmm....but after this thread, even if that is what it was....not so ready to eat fish!

Bleah.

Jay K wrote:I think the biggest "haul" of insects in produce I'd ever had involved a batch of bean-leaf (snow pea greens) and aphids.

A couple years ago when strawberry season kicked in, I bought a quart of big red juicy lookin' beauts. Took them home, rinsed them off, and was going to take a big bite out the biggest one, which was about the size of a golf ball. For some reason, I changed my mind and decided to slice them up. Upon slicing the big one in half, I discovered a large fat green worm squirming around, which had been inhabitting the hollow spot in the center of the fruit. Yuckkkkkkkkkkkkkk!!!!!!!!!!!

possibly iterating info here:

there are only a few varieties of fish parasites that will inhabit you(and those are invisible to the nekkid eye)

if I bought fish with either living worms or a plethora of dead worms I'd take it back to the fishmongerer(any reputable purveyor should evince suitable apology)

having offered the above:

I've found dead "pin" worms in tilapia filets and figured that's the cost of doing business...rather, I just got over it...not that anyone else is obligated to do so...

or, you find a few tiny worms, you remove them, or maybe you don't quite get all of them and you cook them and they're dead as dead can be...shrug... (consider any restaurant)

---

I dunno 'bout you, but debriding fish of worms gives me that much more info(as disgusting as it is) regarding the cycle of life...cue, violins...

I can top the live worms in the fish story. I had a live tapeworm in me! It was at least 6 feet long and was living in my intestines for over a year. It was either from sushi or steak tartare, both of which I had consumed before then. Needless to say, I haven't had raw fish or meat since 1984.

What was it's name?






signed,

just curious