Is Raw Sushi Safe? What Health Experts Say About Eating Raw Fish

The Short Answer

For most healthy adults, raw sushi from a restaurant that follows U.S. food-safety rules is considered safe when fish has been properly frozen to destroy parasites and handled under sanitary conditions. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not ban raw fish outright. Instead, it requires specific freezing or cooking steps before certain species may be served raw.

That said, raw fish is not risk-free. Parasites, bacteria, and mercury remain concerns for some diners. People who are pregnant, breastfeeding, immunocompromised, or feeding young children should weigh FDA and EPA guidance carefully before ordering sashimi or raw rolls.

Why Freezing Matters

Wild-caught fish can carry parasites such as roundworms, tapeworms, and flukes. Cooking fish to an internal temperature of 145°F for 15 seconds kills those parasites. When fish is served raw, as in sashimi or sushi, freezing is the standard substitute control.

According to the FDA's Fish and Fishery Products Hazards and Controls Guidance (June 2022 edition), any of the following freezing methods is sufficient to kill parasites in fish intended for raw consumption:

• Frozen and stored at -4°F (-20°C) or below for 7 days (total time)
• Frozen at -31°F (-35°C) or below until solid, then stored at -31°F or below for 15 hours
• Frozen at -31°F or below until solid, then stored at -4°F or below for 24 hours

The FDA notes these time-and-temperature combinations may not be suitable for very large fish thicker than about six inches. Brining, pickling, or visually removing parasites does not eliminate the hazard to an acceptable level on its own.

Mercury and Who Should Limit Raw Fish

Separate from parasites, some fish accumulate methylmercury. In October 2021, the FDA and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) jointly updated their advice on eating fish. That guidance, still published on FDA.gov as of 2026, recommends that people who are pregnant, might become pregnant, breastfeeding, or feeding children ages 1 to 11 choose fish lower in mercury.

Key points from the October 2021 FDA/EPA advice:

• Eat 2 to 3 servings per week (8 to 12 ounces total) from the "Best Choices" list, or 1 serving from the "Good Choices" list
• Avoid high-mercury species listed under "Choices to Avoid," including shark, swordfish, king mackerel, tilefish from the Gulf of Mexico, and bigeye tuna
• Salmon, shrimp, pollock, and many other common sushi species appear on the lower-mercury lists

The FDA also states that moderate evidence supports eating lower-mercury fish during pregnancy for infant brain development, provided mercury intake stays within recommended limits.

What Responsible Sushi Restaurants Do

Retail sushi operations are expected to source seafood from suppliers operating under Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) plans. University of Florida IFAS guidance for processing sushi in retail operations, originally published in 2005 and still cited in state health programs, lists several practical controls restaurants should follow:

• Obtain supplier documentation that fish intended for raw service has undergone parasite destruction
• Keep frozen storage at 0°F (-18°C) or below for general frozen inventory, and use dedicated freezers capable of meeting the stricter parasite-destruction temperatures when required
• Maintain cold holding for prepared sushi rice and finished rolls to limit bacterial growth
• Prevent bare-hand contact with finished sushi and use separate utensils for raw and ready-to-eat items

At Kenzo, our sushi bar follows the same supplier and cold-chain practices expected of Pennsylvania food establishments serving raw fish. If you have questions about a specific roll or species, our staff can help you choose cooked alternatives from the kitchen menu.

When to Choose Cooked Options Instead

Guests who prefer to avoid raw fish entirely can still enjoy a full meal at Kenzo. Kitchen entrees such as chicken teriyaki, shrimp tempura, hibachi dinners, and wok plates are fully cooked. Many basic rolls can also be made with cooked ingredients such as eel, shrimp, or crab.

If you are pregnant, recovering from illness, or dining with young children, ask about mercury content and consider limiting raw tuna or other "Good Choices" species to the serving sizes outlined in the FDA chart rather than eating them daily.

Sources and Publication Dates

This article summarizes publicly available federal guidance. Original publication or revision dates are listed below:

• FDA, Fish and Fishery Products Hazards and Controls Guidance — June 2022 edition (fda.gov)
• FDA and EPA, Advice about Eating Fish — revised October 2021 (fda.gov)
• FDA constituent update confirming the October 2021 revision — published October 2021 (fda.gov)
• University of Florida IFAS, Guidance for Processing Sushi in Retail Operations — published 2005 (edis.ifas.ufl.edu)

Medical questions about raw fish and personal health should be directed to a licensed healthcare provider.