2nd Trimester
filxoxo
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Imitation crab in sushi?
filxoxo
member
I know some people are going to say "everything in moderation is fine" or that some pregnant ladies eat sushi and whatnot. But I'm a first timer and am super paranoid. BUT (to the point) is imitation crab meat okay to have as a replacement in sushi??
BEAN *06/29/2012*
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Re: Imitation crab in sushi?
DS - Born 6/17/12
DS#2 - Due 2/11/15
I would think it's okay to eat. Now I want a california roll!
It had to be a sushi thread that made me finally contribute to this board!
Anyway, here's my two cents:
An avid sushi enthusiast, I was having a really hard time not giving in to my one and only craving -- sushi! So I did some research. I found what most of you PPs have already stated, "Japanese women do it all the time", "everything in moderation", etc. My doctor's main concern was the possibility of a parasitic infection caused by uncooked sushi. I got to reading about the whole sushi process and it turns out that a lot of the fish used in sushi/sashimi is flash-frozen. The flash-freezing process apparently kills parasites just like cooking would. When sushi restaurants get their orders in, a large majority of their fish comes in frozen and thawed onsite. The way I figure, if the fish arrives frozen, there is a decreased likelihood of pathogen growth. If it arrives fresh, or already thawed, chances are higher that there was mishandling and there was an opportunity for pathogen growth. Of course, there is always a chance that the fish can be mishandled onsite but if you have a trusted, A-rated sushi place this shouldn't be a problem.
I had some chirashi just last week after I called ahead and spoke to the manager. I verified which fish had arrived frozen vs. fresh/thawed and was able to enjoy some lovely sashimi cuts of yellowtail and albacore, along with cooked shrimp.
I think if we are so concerned about foodborne illness, we should refrain from eating out completely, not just pick on sushi!
Hope that helps...
Here are some articles:
https://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/15/opinion/15shaw.html
https://www.babycentre.co.uk/pregnancy/nutrition/foodsafety/sushiexpert/
I still eat sushi, just nothing raw.
In fact, I'm getting sushi on Friday with my brother!!
I LOVE Philli Rolls!! Smoked Salmon & Cream Cheese with Avocado!! Mmmm!! Delicious!!!
Imitation crab is made from pollock, and other stuff to make it "crabby".
Pollock is safe, it's a whitefish.
Imitation crab is fine since it is cooked fish. Plus the amount that you'd eat in a sushi roll is negligible.
However, the choice to eat raw fish sushi is not one to be taken lightly and is completely your own decision. Some will say "I ate it and my kid is fine." But I could say "I didn't wear my seatbelt on the highway the other day and I was fine." It's all about the level of risk that you are comfortable with and that is a personal choice for each person.
My BFF got scombroid poisoning from a very high end DC restaurant after eating raw tuna sushi. She ended up extremely sick in the hospital. Thankfully she was not pregnant, but it was really scary.
I'm avoiding raw fish sushi while being pg, but fully intend on enjoying a spicy tuna roll in the hospital after delivery!
This. It's the same as with the risk in lunch meat...not an "everything in moderation" food. You either get listeria/food poisoning or you don't. While the risk is very, very slim it's not one that is worth my baby.
My MW says to avoid the common foods (lunch meat, unpasturized food, etc) and said to avoid sushi with raw fish but that anything with cooked meat/veggies is just fine. I have had cooked sushi while pregnant, but then I got to thinking that it's all probably prepared in the same area with the same tools are the raw fish so.....