Sushi Questions Answered

Over the years we have received many questions from visitors that were either not completely covered by the FAQ or not addressed at all. In this section we will share those questions with our other visitors with the hope that you may find an answer here to anything that we have not already fully addressed. Please follow the links to find the full question and answers and also keep in mind that all of these answers are the opinions of the maintainer and do not constitute the advice of a medical professional.

Sushi Safety:

• I'm a Sushi beginner and I keep reading conflicting reports about salmon and its health risks....is it ok to order salmon in a sushi restaurant? I understand that it may contain parasites.
   
• I was wondering if you could answer a question for me about making sure my fish is safe to eat raw. I bought it yesterday and I have kept it in my freezer since I bought it, and plan to let it thaw in my refrigerator over night tonight. Can I eat these fish raw? Is there any special way to tell if fish is safe or not safe for sushi?
   
• I purchased some sushi and it is more than I can eat.  Can I freeze the remainder or must I discard?  How long does it keep its freshness?
   
• I was told long ago that although sushi fish has not been cooked, instead it's taken to an extreme "Below Zero" temperature to kill any harmful organisms. I cannot find anything to verify that. Any thoughts?

Questions about individual items:

• Is Wasabi high in sodium? I'm trying to cut down on the salt and I know Miso is very high and so is Soy Sauce.
   
• I have being trying to make sushi at home for quite some time, and over the last while, I have started to notice the different cuts of salmon that you can get... Am I correct in saying that there are 2 main cuts of salmon, fillet and halfside?...[More]
   
• I am a sashimi addict but just learned I am allergic to soy... Do you have any advice or do you know of any product that tastes similar to soy sauce, minus the soy?
   
• I recently had a waitress at a Chinese restaurant tell me that sushi is loaded with MSG? Tell me it's not true!!! (But only if it isn't true.) My daughter suffers from migraines that are triggered by MSG, and now she's sure she shouldn't eat sushi anymore.