Salmon sashimi and poke bowls have become popular menu items at restaurants across the country. The fresh, buttery taste of raw salmon is appealing to many seafood lovers. This has led some home cooks to wonder – can you safely eat raw salmon from the grocery store? Specifically, is eating Kroger raw salmon safe or recommended?
The short answer is yes, Kroger salmon can be eaten raw when it’s handled properly. However, there are some important guidelines to follow for preparing raw salmon at home. Eating undercooked or improperly stored salmon comes with health risks that need to be considered.
An Overview of Eating Raw Salmon
First, let’s start with a quick overview of the pros and cons of consuming raw salmon in general:
Potential Benefits
- Provides high-quality protein and omega-3 fatty acids
- Delicious, buttery texture when freshly sliced
- Makes dishes like sashimi, poke, ceviche possible
Potential Risks:
- May contain parasites if not previously frozen
- Can harbor harmful bacteria if improperly handled
- Higher risk for people with weakened immune systems
Restaurants and markets that serve raw salmon have guidelines they must follow for sourcing and storage to reduce risks You can also take steps at home to enjoy raw Kroger salmon safely
Selecting High Quality Kroger Salmon
The key to minimizing risks with raw salmon is starting with the highest quality fish possible. Here are tips for choosing fresh Kroger salmon to eat raw:
-
Check the origin. Opt for wild-caught Alaska or Pacific salmon. Atlantic salmon is typically farmed.
-
Make sure it’s sushi/sashimi grade. This means it was frozen to kill parasites.
-
Check the sell-by date, Pick salmon that will be used by the sell-by date or freeze it
-
Look for firm, shiny flesh. The color should be bright and even. Avoid bruising or discoloration.
-
Smell it. Raw salmon should not have a strong fishy odor. Discard if the scent seems off.
Sticking to sushi-grade salmon sold at the seafood counter is best. Pre-packaged frozen salmon or trout labeled for sashimi is also a safe option.
Proper Handling of Raw Kroger Salmon
Once you’ve selected a high-quality piece of raw salmon, proper storage and prep is crucial:
-
Keep refrigerated until ready to use, max 2 days. Thaw frozen salmon in the fridge.
-
Wash hands and prep tools thoroughly before handling. Avoid cross-contamination.
-
Clean cutting boards and knives immediately after use.
-
Slice the salmon just before serving to avoid bacterial growth.
-
Discard any leftover pieces instead of reusing.
Following seafood safety best practices at home reduces your risk when eating Kroger’s raw salmon.
Who Should Avoid Raw Salmon?
While raw salmon can be safe for most people, there are a few groups who should avoid consuming it:
- Children under 5 years old
- Pregnant or breastfeeding women
- Older adults with weakened immune systems
- Anyone with a compromised immune system or chronic health condition
Cooking the salmon thoroughly reaches temperatures that kill any potential parasites or bacteria present. People at higher risk should not eat raw or undercooked salmon.
Trying Popular Raw Salmon Dishes
If you choose Kroger sashimi-grade salmon, there are endless tasty ways to enjoy it:
Simple Salmon Sashimi
Thinly slice salmon and enjoy it unadorned, dipping pieces in soy sauce.
Hawaiian Salmon Poke Bowls
Cube raw salmon and toss with flavors like sesame oil, seaweed, chili sauce, onions, and avocado.
Lox and Bagels
Top a bagel with slices of cured raw salmon, cream cheese, capers, and red onion.
Salmon Ceviche
“Cook” slices of salmon in citrus juice and toss with cucumber, tomato, onion, avocado.
Salmon Tartare
Finely chop and mix raw salmon with capers, shallots, parsley, olive oil, and Dijon.
Safety Starts at the Store
Thanks to Kroger’s broad seafood selection, you can find high-quality raw salmon to enjoy at home. Always inspect it carefully and adhere to food safety practices when handling and eating it.
While children, pregnant women, and those with compromised immune systems should avoid raw salmon, it can be a nutritious and delicious choice for many people. Start with the best quality salmon available to minimize any risks involved with eating it raw.
Which types of salmon can and cannot be eaten raw?
It might be pricey to go to your favorite sushi place, and it might be a long drive to the international grocery store that has sushi-grade raw fish.
Can you eat raw salmon from the store, whether it’s fresh or frozen? Find out when it’s safe to eat raw fish, what kinds you should buy, and what kinds you should stay away from.
Most people understand that eating raw and undercooked meat can be extremely dangerous to their health. Raw meats can contain bacteria and parasites that cause food poisoning.
Fish meat can be different. Sometimes, its safe to eat raw fish, but in other situations, you should avoid it. This information will help you stay healthy when you eat raw fish, whether you’re looking for raw salmon for a sushi recipe or you just like it plain.
Wild-caught salmon
Salmon labeled “wild-caught” is often considered healthier for various reasons. These fish are full of omega-3 fatty acids, can grow in a safe place, and can eat a wide range of algae, fish, and plankton in the wild.
Living in the wild comes with a cost, though: parasites. Salmon that are caught in the wild are more likely to get sick because they eat more infected food than farmed salmon, whose food is made by humans and doesn’t contain any parasites. Its not a good idea to eat raw, wild-caught salmon unless you know its been flash-frozen first.
Farm-raised salmon
When you buy raw sushi at the store, the best fish to eat is farm-raised salmon, especially fish that has been flash frozen. There is a bad reputation for fish farms in the health food community, but fish raised in captivity are less likely to get parasitic diseases for three reasons:
- They are not out in the wild looking for their own food, so they probably won’t eat food that has been contaminated.
- They are raised in ways that are meant to keep them healthy and free of disease.
- Before they are sent to stores and restaurants, they are almost always frozen.
Smoked salmon
This salty delicacy is used in dishes as wide-ranging as gourmet appetizer plates and grocery store sushi. You can put it in pasta dishes or scramble it with eggs. If you eat it at a party, you probably haven’t thought about where it came from, but if you bought it and brought it home, you might be wondering if it’s safe to eat.
Smoked salmon isn’t technically raw — but it hasn’t been traditionally cooked, either. Still, smoked salmon that has been cured with smoke and salt in a traditional smokehouse or a larger food preparation plant is safe to eat.
If the cook doesn’t know how to smoke meat right, homemade smoked salmon might still be raw. If this is the case, it probably isn’t safe to eat.
Dangers of eating unsafe raw salmon
Bacterial food poisoning
When you eat raw salmon, you’re susceptible to bacterial food poisoning like listeriosis. It’s not common to get sick from Listeria monocytogenes bacteria, but if your immune system is weak or you’re pregnant, it can really hurt you.
It is most often found in salmon that has been handled badly or “cold-smoked” at too high of a temperature. Stay safe and don’t eat raw salmon if you are in a group that is more likely to get sick from food. If you’re not, still be very careful to only eat high-quality raw fish from a reputable source.
Anisakiasis
Raw salmon can contain several different types of parasites, including anisakiasis. Anisakiasis is another name for “herring worm disease.” It is spread when people eat raw fish or squid that has had the parasite’s larvae on it. The parasites’ eggs or larvae can then live for a while in the person’s digestive system before dying.
This disease can cause vomiting, fever, bloating, and even a severe allergic reaction. People may need surgery to remove the parasite if it stays in their GI tract for too long.
Tapeworms
Tapeworms can be an unfortunate consequence of eating raw salmon that wasn’t flash-frozen. It can also happen if you eat fresh, raw salmon that was caught in the wild and got a tapeworm in its home water. You can’t be sure that a wild-caught fish doesn’t have tapeworms. For example, your salmon could be free of parasites because it was caught in a place where tapeworms are common, or it could have lived its whole life in water full of them.
Sushi Guy’s Guide: Costco Fresh Salmon for Sushi Use (v2 non-Frozen Version)
FAQ
Is it OK to eat raw salmon from the grocery store?
How to know if raw salmon is safe to eat?
Does Kroger have wild caught salmon?
Is Kroger sushi real fish?
Can you eat salmon raw?
Cooking salmon to an internal temperature of 145 ° F (63 ° C) kills bacteria and parasites, but if you eat the fish raw, you run the risk of contracting an infection ( 1, 2 ). The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) lists salmon as a known source of parasites, which are organisms that live on or in other organisms —including humans ( 1 ).
Is fresh salmon safe to eat?
Yes, salmon is a source of omega 3, the fatty acid is responsible for acting in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases, making the heart strong and healthy. Just be careful to analyze the supplier to make sure it doesn’t have any contamination.
Can you eat raw salmon if it is not frozen?
Many people eat raw salmon. However, raw salmon, not previously frozen may contain parasites. It can also contain bacteria that will not be killed by having been frozen. Cooking salmon to an internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit kills bacteria and parasites. The FDA lists wild salmon as a known source of parasites.
Where can I buy wild caught salmon at Kroger?
Kroger® Frozen Wild Caught Pink Salmon Fillets BIG DEAL! Shop for Salmon in our Meat & Seafood Department at Kroger. Buy products such as Aqua Star Wild Pacific Salmon Fillet for in-store pickup, at home delivery, or create your shopping list today.