Can seafood make you sick? Yes, seafood can make you sick for many reasons, such as seafood contaminants like viruses, bacteria, and parasites.
Moreover, toxins in seafood, like heavy metals such as mercury, lead, and cadmium, may also cause sickness. Excessive consumption, undercooking, seafood poisoning, allergies, and raw seafood can make you sick.
As we speak, one of my colleagues in the office is suffering from foodborne infection in Texas U.S. It is a result of excessive seafood consumption, meaning that seafood can make you sick. Be cautious of the way you consume seafood.
Seafood is very nutritious and tasty, but consumption must consider all the critical points indicated to avoid poisoning from these foods, which can be pretty severe.
Ensure you consume seafood in moderation and according to recommendations. This article describes why seafood can make you sick to answer the question, can seafood make you sick? Read more; Are seafood boil gluten free?
Let’s go.
Why Seafood Can Make You Sick?
Why Seafood Can Make You Sick? Seafood can make you sick as it poses a risk of illness through various types of poisoning, including ciguatera poisoning, scombroid poisoning, and other shellfish poisoning.
Small fish that consume the algae become contaminated, and larger fish that eat many of these contaminated small fish can accumulate dangerous levels of the toxin.
A toxin called ciguatoxin causes Ciguatera poisoning, produced in small quantities by certain algae and dinoflagellates.
Ciguatoxin is heat-stable, which means cooking the fish won’t eliminate the poison if it is already infected. A combination of histamine and similar substances causes scombroid poisoning.
After the fish dies, bacteria can create large amounts of this toxin if the fish is not immediately refrigerated or frozen.
Shellfish poisonings are from toxins produced by dinoflagellates, algae-like organisms that accumulate in some types of seafood. Dinoflagellates (a species of marine phytoplankton) are producers of a neurotoxin.
On certain occasions, these organisms reproduce, forming the so-called red tides. Paresthesias, weakness, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea may occur when shellfish ingest dinoflagellates are eating.
There are different types of shellfish poisoning, including poisoning, neurotoxic shellfish poisoning, paralytic shellfish, and amnesic shellfish poisoning.
Paralytic shellfish poisoning typically causes numbness or tingling in the mouth that can spread to the arms and legs, as well as dizziness, headache, and temporary paralysis of the limbs in severe cases.
Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea are less common but may occur in such cases.
Neurotoxic shellfish poisoning produces symptoms similar to ciguatera poisoning, including nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, followed by sensations such as numbness or tingling in the mouth, headache, dizziness, and temperature changes.
Amnesic shellfish poisoning is a rare form of shellfish poisoning that can cause nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, followed by short-term memory loss and other nervous system symptoms.
Can Overeating Seafood Make You Sick
Can overeating seafood make you sick? Moderation in seafood consumption is crucial as overeating seafood leads to adverse health effects, including an increase in levels of uric acid in the bloodstream, allergies, and food-related reactions.
Elevated levels of uric acid lead to the development of gout. It is a form of arthritis that affects more than 880,000 individuals in Spain.
Gout is triggered by the formation of sodium urate crystals within the joints, typically manifesting as sudden pain and inflammation, often in the big toe.
Managing and treating gout involves drug therapy and adopting a low-fat diet that reduces the consumption of foods rich in purines.
Elevated uric acid levels can also have detrimental consequences for cardiovascular health, increasing the risk of mortality for acute heart failure patients.
To prevent high uric acid levels, it is advisable to reduce the consumption of foods rich in purines, moderate caffeine, and alcohol intake, and adopt a low-fat dietary approach.
Excessive Seafood consumption can also lead to food allergies, with shellfish being one of the most common culprits.
To prevent allergic reactions, those who already know they have a seafood allergy should avoid trying new products and not eat products outside the home if they are unsure of their tolerance.
It is essential to carry emergency medication prescribed by a specialist and recognize the symptoms likely to appear in the first minutes after eating seafood.
In case of any suspicion of an allergic reaction, the recommendation is to go to the emergency room as soon as possible.
Carelessness in the consumption chain of seafood can lead to sickness such as parahemolytic Vibrio that contaminate shellfish. This bacterium is impossible to detect before consumption.
Can Raw Seafood Make You Sick?
Can raw seafood make you sick? Consuming raw shellfish is risky and can lead to illnesses caused by Vibrio or norovirus bacteria.
Lemon juice, although beneficial, isn’t foolproof at eliminating all harmful bacteria. Eating raw oysters and shellfish can result in food poisoning.
While consuming fish and shellfish is a common culinary choice, it has risks. Raw shellfish may contain toxins like mercury or harmful bacteria that can cause severe illnesses.
Proper cooking at the appropriate temperature is the only way to neutralize these dangers.
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) kicks against consuming raw or undercooked fish, shellfish, or dishes containing these, such as sashimi, particular sushi, and ceviche. This caution extends to oysters as well.
Oysters filter water, collecting materials, including potentially harmful bacteria and viruses. Accumulated pathogens in the oyster’s body pose health risks to those who consume it raw or undercooked.
To prevent foodborne infections, it’s crucial to cook shellfish to a temperature of 145°F, with any leftover shellfish reheated to 165°F.
Raw or undercooked oysters may contain Vibrio bacteria, which can cause a condition known as vibriosis.
Some oysters undergo post-harvest treatments to reduce the risk of vibriosis, but they can’t eliminate all harmful germs. Identifying an oyster carrying harmful bacteria is impossible, as it appears, smells, and tastes like any other oyster.
Vibriosis can lead to symptoms like diarrhea, abdominal cramps, nausea, vomiting, fever, and chills. Typically, these symptoms manifest within 24 hours of ingestion and persist for about three days.
Although rare, individuals with weakened immune systems develop severe illness immediately after consumption.
Avoid getting sick from seafood by ensuring that shellfish are only alive, frozen fresh before cooking, and avoided if they have a strong and unpleasant smell. Buy products from places with proper sanitary authorization.
Bad Seafood Can Make You Sick
Oysters harvested from water sources contaminated with norovirus fruits and vegetables irrigated with contaminated water in the fields can become tainted with the virus.
Norovirus is the primary cause of illnesses in seafood. That is why bad seafood and outbreaks stemming from contaminated food in the United States can make you sick.
The explosion happens annually but is prevalent between November and April, as the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reported in the United States.
On average, norovirus results in about 900 deaths yearly in the United States; it is higher among adults 65 and older. Most of norovirus outbreaks occur in food service settings, notably restaurants.
In such environments, one common source of infections is infected food handlers who come into contact with ready-to-eat food.
Additionally, food can become contaminated if it comes into contact with surfaces tainted with fecal matter or vomit.
Another means of contracting the virus is touching surfaces or objects contaminated with norovirus and putting one’s fingers in the mouth.
The typical symptoms of norovirus infection include diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, and stomach pain. These symptoms usually become noticeable within 12 to 48 hours after exposure to the virus. This is how seafood can make you sick.
Fortunately, most individuals recover within 1 to 3 days. These sicknesses can come from eating bad seafood;
Foodborne illnesses
Bacterial contamination
Shellfish poisoning
Mercury toxicity
Parasitic infections
Ciguatera fish poisoning
Vibrio infections
Norovirus
Cross-contamination
Cooking temperatures
Seafood allergies
Histamine poisoning
Scombroid fish poisoning
Anisakis infection
Can Undercooked Seafood Make You Sick?
Can undercooked seafood make you sick? Yes, undercooked seafood can make you sick. Although it is not a significant cause of bacterial illness when eaten raw, it can contain parasites that could make you sick, Griffin warns.
Vibrio is a group of bacteria that live in healthy seawater, so shellfish containing Vibrio are not technically contaminated. However, the bacteria can cause an infection called vibriosis, which carries significant health risks for people aged 65 and older.
Contaminated shellfish may also contain norovirus, which can cause symptoms in older adults that could lead to dehydration.
“The cases of serious illness that we see are due to the consumption of oysters because people like to eat them raw,” he explains. Some restaurants offer treated oysters to reduce the Vibrio levels they contain.
Still, this precaution does not necessarily eliminate harmful germs.
Undercooked shellfish often lead to diarrheal illnesses, which can be especially serious for those with disorders such as liver disease. In such cases, the bacteria can enter the bloodstream, requiring hospitalization.
They are rare diseases from undercooked seafood but are a widespread cause of traveler’s diarrhea. Paragonimiasis is endemic in Southeast Asia, the Gulf of Guinea, and parts of South America (Peru).
The infection is acquired by eating crabs infected with metacercariae. The disease mainly affects the lungs and, occasionally, the central nervous system and skin.
The way to prevent its acquisition is by avoiding the consumption of undercooked crabs.
Angiostrongyloidiasis is an infection acquired by eating shellfish infected by larvae when poorly cooked.
Can Seafood Make You Sick In Early Pregnancy?
Can seafood make you sick in early pregnancy? When thoroughly cooked, most fish are safe to consume during pregnancy.
Many types of seafood offer valuable health benefits for you and your baby, making them a beneficial addition to your diet. When purchasing fish, it’s essential to ensure it appears fresh and has no unpleasant odor.
Seafood can be a particularly challenging aspect of your diet during pregnancy. Fish provide crucial nutrients for your baby’s development. Read this for more info; Are seafood boil safe during pregnancy?
Still, the potential contamination with harmful substances like polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and mercury is a concern, as these substances may negatively affect your baby’s brain and nervous system.
This allows it to finish cooking correctly. For added certainty, use a food thermometer to confirm that the seafood has reached the temperature of 63 degrees Celsius, which indicates that it is well-cooked and safe to eat.
In contrast, pregnant individuals can obtain omega-3 fatty acids from various sources, as experts generally recommend seafood.
It’s worth noting that consuming reasonable amounts of low-mercury seafood during pregnancy is not associated with any known issues.
However, consuming raw seafood, such as sushi or raw oysters, can increase the risk of salmonella infection, which may cause symptoms like fever, nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps, and diarrhea in pregnant women.
And it is the potential for intrauterine sepsis that affects babies. Raw seafood, especially shellfish, should be avoided. Cook sushi properly, and it is safe to eat. It’s best to steer clear of ceviche, sashimi, and raw oysters.
Some specific types of seafood, such as shark, swordfish, king mackerel, and tilefish, can contain high levels of mercury, which could be harmful during pregnancy.
Additionally, some foods might exacerbate pregnancy-related nausea, such as overly sweet, spicy, fatty, fried, and hot foods.
How Fast Can Seafood Make You Sick?
How fast can seafood make you sick? One can develop Scombroid symptoms from seafood within a few minutes to an hour after eating contaminated seafood.
Symptoms of scombroid resemble an allergic reaction and may include the following: Flushing of the face. Headache, Heart palpitations (fast-beating, fluttering, or pounding heart), Itching, Blurred vision, Cramps, Diarrhea.
Prawns and lobster turn red when cooked, making their flesh pearly opaque. Scallops become milky-white or opaque and firm when cooked. This process will avoid how fast seafood can make you sick.
For clams, mussels, and oysters, you should observe the point at which their shells open, signifying that they are well cooked. Discard any shellfish that remain closed after cooking.
When using a microwave to prepare seafood, check multiple spots to ensure thorough cooking because the sicknesses come faster.
Final Thought
Avoid raw seafood; ensure its origin is known when eating in restaurants. In summary, while seafood consumption has multiple benefits, it is essential to moderate intake and take necessary precautions to avoid adverse health effects.
It is best to avoid consequences such as gout, food allergies, and sickness from contaminated shellfish. Read this for more info; Are seafood boil gluten free?
This article recommends a low-fat diet to reduce seafood rich in purines to prevent high uric acid levels, as well as emergency medication for those with seafood allergies.
Careful buying and consumption of seafood can prevent sickness from contaminated shellfish.
Precautions
Lemon Juice Is Not Enough
Try to eat oysters because using lemon juice exposes you to seafood sickness. Using hot sauce and lemon juice does not kill bacteria like Vibrio, nor does alcohol.
Instead, the seafood can make you sick. Therefore, to avoid food poisoning, cook shellfish thoroughly before eating. Read this for more info; Are seafood boil gluten free?
Safe Cooking Of Shell Fish
Before cooking, discard shellfish with the shell open. While boiling the seafood, ensure that the shells open and boil for another 3-5 minutes, or you can steam them for 4 to 9 after the water is simmering.
The CDC recommends against eating shellfish that do not fully open after cooking. For shelled oysters, there are several cooking options for them.
Try boiling oysters for 3 minutes or more, or try frying option in oil for at least 3 minutes at 375°F, simmer for 3 minutes, or bake them at 450°F for 10 minutes.
Oysters are more safe when treated after harvesting. This treatment can reduce the levels of vibriosis in the oyster, but it does not eliminate all harmful germs.
Because of contamination with viruses and bacteria, handle seafood with proper hygiene while cooking.
This article is for information only. DO NOT use to treat or manage actual toxicant exposure.
If you or someone you are with is exposed, call the local emergency number (911 in the United States) or contact the local poison control center directly by calling the national toll-free number Poison Help 1-800-222-1222 from anywhere in the United States.