Man Spots Worm Moving on Fresh Fish From Local Costco, Manager Says It’s ‘Pretty Normal’

Mimi Nguyen Ly
By Mimi Nguyen Ly
August 22, 2019US News
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Man Spots Worm Moving on Fresh Fish From Local Costco, Manager Says It’s ‘Pretty Normal’
A Costco store in a file photo. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)

A man was taken aback when he spotted a moving worm on a fish at Costco in New York, according to a recent report.

Pix11 reported that Jack Sanchez, while at the check-out line at the store in New Rochelle, spotted the worm a package of Fresh Wild Sockeye Salmon that a woman in front of him was going to purchase. Sanchez felt it was “disgusting.”

When Sanchez told the woman about the worm, she asked to speak to the store manager. The manager reportedly told the two customers that “it was pretty normal that salmon had a worm or parasite,” Sanchez told Pix11. He provided the news station with video footage of the worm.

According to the report, Sanchez had expected that all the salmon would be recalled from the supermarket, but the manager simply took away the package of salmon and did not pursue the issue further.

Food safety authorities recommend that meat and fish be cooked to the proper temperature to kill any potential pathogens or parasites, including worms.

“It’s always best to cook seafood thoroughly to minimize the risk of foodborne illness,” the FDA states on its website. “However, if you choose to eat raw fish anyway, one rule of thumb is to eat fish that has been previously frozen.”

According to FDA guidelines (pdf), fish and most seafood should be cooked to an internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit.

If consumers want to eat their fish raw, the FDA recommends (pdf) that the fish gets frozen and stored at an ambient temperature of -4 degrees Fahrenheit for below for at least seven days to kill any parasites. The FDA guidelines noted that the conditions may not suit larger pieces of fish that are thicker than 6 inches.

“Some species of fish can contain parasites, and freezing will kill any parasites that may be present,” the FDA states. “however, be aware that freezing doesn’t kill all harmful germs. That’s why the safest route is to cook your seafood.”

The FDA points out (pdf) that parasites in uncooked or undercooked seafood can be a health hazard and even be life-threating. Worms can cause different illness symptoms that may include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, severe abdominal pain, and weight loss. The parasites may also migrate to and harm other areas of the body, including the heart and the central nervous system, according to the FDA.

Past Cases of Worms on Fish in Costco

Other cases of live worms on fish from Costco stores have been reported across the United States. Here are several case examples within the past five years.

In Aug. 2017, a woman found live worms on two packages of sockeye salmon at a store in Chula Vista, San Diego, California. According to KGTV, she felt sick after seeing at least three worms wriggling in the fish. She returned the fish to the store and they gave her a full refund.

In March 2017, a man found a thin, dark-colored worm squirming in a package of Costco’s “Fresh Wild Pacific Cod” at his local store in Fresno, California. He said he was “amazed and disgusted,” the Miami Herald reported. The man had also captured video of the moving worm:

In Feb. 2017, a woman in Missoula, Montana, shared a video of worms on fish purchased from her local Costco.

“You can see these worms, they’re moving,” she said while pointing them out with the tip of a knife. She pointed out at least three worms.

In July 2016, a man in Novato, California found a worm coming out of a piece of Costco salmon he was just about to cook.

“I was immediately grossed out. I’m plant based now I won’t touch salmon. I am done with anything that comes out of the water. I’m traumatized by it to be honest,” the man told Click2Houston.

In Dec. 2015, a family in San Joaqin County, also in California, reported seeing “at least two” worms in a package of cod and salmon they purchased at a Costco in Manteca, according to KCRA. They notified the San Joaquin County Department of Public Health.

In Aug. 2015, a man posted to YouTube a video of a worm moving in a package of fresh fish that he said he found at a Costco. He did not disclose the location of the store.

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