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I don't even like sushi but seriously this is retarded.
Rules for raw fish boost food safety in Ontario: health official
Last Updated Tue, 28 Sep 2004 17:33:08 EDT
TORONTO - Public health officials in Ontario say a ban on raw fish that hasn't been frozen will help prevent future illness and bring the province up to national standards.
Dr. Karim Kurji, Ontario's Associate Chief Medical Officer of Health, says the Sept. 1 ban brings the province in line with Health Canada's regulations.
Salmon
"The new regulations require the fish that is intended to be consumed raw, including raw, marinated and partially cooked fish, shall be frozen before preparation and serving to a temperature of -20 C or below for seven days, or to a temperature of -35 C for 15 hours," said Kurji.
Parasites or worms carried by some fish are killed in the freezing process.
Critics of the plan, including some sushi chefs and connoisseurs, said certain types of seafood, such as sea urchin, giant clam, sardine, Spanish mackerel, fluke and snapper, don't freeze or thaw well.
However, the president of Bento Nouveau, a main supplier of take-out sushi in the country, said most people won't be able to taste the difference between fish that's previously been frozen.
Ken Valvur said they've been following regulations from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration – using frozen fish – for about five years.
"The most common fish you see in sushi would probably be tuna and ... I'd say 95 or 97 per cent of the tuna that is carried both in the supermarkets as well as in sushi counters would be frozen at sea," said Valvur.
Preventive measure
Most shrimp is typically frozen before it's delivered to restaurants, while freezing salmon results in little texture change, he said.
Kurji said health inspectors will roll out a campaign to educate people about the regulations. Eventually, inspectors will begin asking for visual proof, such as looking in walk-in freezers or asking for documentation from suppliers that proves the fish was frozen.
"They'll have to document when fish came in, they're going to have to document when they used the fish," said Valvur. "It's going to be more of an audit trail of what fish is being used."
Ontario has had no reported cases people becoming sick after eating sushi. Kurji said the move is a preventive measure and falls in line with Health Canada and FDA recommendations.
While British Columbia and Alberta follow the Health Canada code on raw fish, Ontario is the first province to put it into law.
"In the scheme of things, this may be a smaller risk than other risks," said Kurji. "However, I think you are seeing society's move to wanting to safeguard against smaller risks."
Rules for raw fish boost food safety in Ontario: health official
Last Updated Tue, 28 Sep 2004 17:33:08 EDT
TORONTO - Public health officials in Ontario say a ban on raw fish that hasn't been frozen will help prevent future illness and bring the province up to national standards.
Dr. Karim Kurji, Ontario's Associate Chief Medical Officer of Health, says the Sept. 1 ban brings the province in line with Health Canada's regulations.
Salmon
"The new regulations require the fish that is intended to be consumed raw, including raw, marinated and partially cooked fish, shall be frozen before preparation and serving to a temperature of -20 C or below for seven days, or to a temperature of -35 C for 15 hours," said Kurji.
Parasites or worms carried by some fish are killed in the freezing process.
Critics of the plan, including some sushi chefs and connoisseurs, said certain types of seafood, such as sea urchin, giant clam, sardine, Spanish mackerel, fluke and snapper, don't freeze or thaw well.
However, the president of Bento Nouveau, a main supplier of take-out sushi in the country, said most people won't be able to taste the difference between fish that's previously been frozen.
Ken Valvur said they've been following regulations from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration – using frozen fish – for about five years.
"The most common fish you see in sushi would probably be tuna and ... I'd say 95 or 97 per cent of the tuna that is carried both in the supermarkets as well as in sushi counters would be frozen at sea," said Valvur.
Preventive measure
Most shrimp is typically frozen before it's delivered to restaurants, while freezing salmon results in little texture change, he said.
Kurji said health inspectors will roll out a campaign to educate people about the regulations. Eventually, inspectors will begin asking for visual proof, such as looking in walk-in freezers or asking for documentation from suppliers that proves the fish was frozen.
"They'll have to document when fish came in, they're going to have to document when they used the fish," said Valvur. "It's going to be more of an audit trail of what fish is being used."
Ontario has had no reported cases people becoming sick after eating sushi. Kurji said the move is a preventive measure and falls in line with Health Canada and FDA recommendations.
While British Columbia and Alberta follow the Health Canada code on raw fish, Ontario is the first province to put it into law.
"In the scheme of things, this may be a smaller risk than other risks," said Kurji. "However, I think you are seeing society's move to wanting to safeguard against smaller risks."
