Aussies warned of 'dramatic rise' in parasites turning home cooked fish into mush
You won't know your fish is infected until you turn on the heat.
A professional angler is warning Aussies to beware of hidden parasites that are turning home cooked fish into mush. While they're impossible to see with the naked eye, the microscopic invaders will instantly ruin a meal by liquefying fish flesh once it’s exposed to heat.
Craig McGill, a veteran tour guide with expertise in the fish of Sydney Harbour, has reported a “dramatic increase” in the presence of parasites. “I’ve seen more fish with it in the last two seasons than I’ve seen in the previous 30 years,” he told Yahoo News.
Mushy fish syndrome, as it is known, has been reported in northern New South Wales and southern Queensland waters. McGill suspects a change in ocean temperatures is behind the rise of the pathogens further south towards Sydney.
“This year the water was probably the warmest I've ever seen it. There was another warm water event back in 1999-2000 and it was prominent then too,” he said.
You can't tell. Until you put it near heat there's absolutely no way of knowing.Craig McGill, Fishabout Sydney Harbour
🐟 What does fish infected with parasites taste like?
Because most restaurants sample a portion of fish before plating it up, it’s more likely home cooked meals that will be impacted. McGill fell victim to the parasite’s wrath around a month ago when he cooked up a kingfish, which is one of the most commonly affected species. Other impacted fish include the closely related amberjack as well as mahi-mahi which are found further offshore.
“It tastes terrible as well, so it’s not just the consistency, the whole experience is just horrid,” he said.
“If you’re just cooking it in a pan or on a barbecue it’ll present alright on the plate, but it will then just turn to the consistency of mashed potatoes. It seems to be the sustained heat that does it and then it just melts.
“I've cooked it Sous vide – when you put it in a bag and immerse it in water for a period of time – and I basically pulled the bag out and it was full of liquid. I could have literally poured it out of the bag.”
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🪱 Can the parasites make you ill?
Two of the pathogens associated with myoliquefaction of fish are Kudoa and Unicapsula, and they digest the flesh by releasing an enzyme.
While they are not known to infect humans, the Kudoa has been linked to allergic reactions. A 2014 paper reported a case of food poisoning was likely caused by the parasite.
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According to the ABC, the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation is working on a rapid test to detect the presence of parasites in fish.
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