Brazil study finds parasites in 96 percent of tuna haul

Scientists at the Federal University of Santa Catarina in Brazil have reported high rates of parasite infection in a recent haul of tuna. According to a study published in Ocean and Coastal Research, 96 percent of the 53 fish analyzed were infected with worms.

Researchers identified more than 1,600 parasites in total, primarily belonging to the genera Trypanorhyncha and Anisakis. The infection was widespread across various organs, with the intestines being the most heavily affected, followed by the muscle tissue and the stomach. The study noted that the kidney and heart were the only organs found to be free of parasites in every fish sampled.

The findings emphasize the necessity of rigorous sanitary inspections and immediate evisceration to prevent larvae from migrating from the viscera into the edible muscle tissue.