Sushi and Smoked Salmon

[confusedmothertobe2020]

Help! I'm so confused, reading a lot of American websites where they strictly forbid Sushi and Smoked Salmon. Then I go over to the NHS website which says Sushi is fine as long as the fish was frozen before to kill any parasites, and Smoked Salmon is even advised! I don't currently live in the UK so when I go to my doctor they also say no Sushi OR Smoked Salmon (one doctor even told me not to eat Salmon cooked..) Im so confused! Help!

I don't know for sure but we generally have much tighter food safety than in the USA so it could be our risk is reduced here.

I'd follow your local guidelines ( though not necessarily one random doctors thoughts), or there's definitely a bit about sushi in the Expecting Better book that shows its not that risky if you have a Google- and she's in the States I think

I'll certainly be having some smoked salmon on Christmas day

Phew, glad to hear that. Couldn't have Christmas morning without smoked salmon!! Was getting a bit down I had a friend who lived in Japan and ate sushi throughout her Pregnancy.. I guess it depends what country you are in and how fresh the products are :/

Proper sushi is made from fresh ingredients and warm rice, this is where the danger of food poisoning comes from, raw fish and warm rice.

In the UK, when you buy sushi it is chilled. The rice was probably chilled before the fish gets anywhere near it.

Can yo find out how fish is processed where you live?

And don't forget there are local customs that sometimes get into health advice eg the number of fruit and veg you should eat, US - 3, UK --5, Australia -7.

In France women are advised (or were) not to have more than one glass of wine a day.

Most salmon in the UK is farmed, I don't know if that make a difference.

Not all sushi involves raw fish. Choose sushi's that don't have raw fish. Hot smoked salmon is fine. Cured smoked salmon is fine if the fish has been frozen first which is generally the case in the U.K. it is also generally darned so the waters are treated. The combined freezing and smoking reduces the risks to practically nil.

The advice in the UK is that sushi is ok if the fish has been frozen first. Like someone else said the food standards in the UK are very different in the UK.
As for eating salmon. I have been encouraged to eat oily fish 2-3 times a week as omega 3 is vital to brain development.

The risk for sushi is the same as if you weren't pregnant. I.e. there is always a small risk of food poisoning but it's from the type of bacteria that is not harmful to the foetus. It would be unpleasant for you but not harmful to baby. I'd say make the same sensible decisions on sushi you would if you weren't pregnant, maybe avoid petrol station sushi!

There are different food standards in each country. If you’re currently in a country that says no smoked salmon or sushi you need to follow that advice as the food processes might be different there to the UK.