Nutrition Diet: How to avoid eating parasites?

October 5, 2025 •

4 min read

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), consuming unsafe food containing harmful parasites can lead to a wide array of diseases. This guide provides a comprehensive overview of the risks and offers actionable steps on how to avoid eating parasites through diligent food handling, preparation, and water safety to protect your health.

Quick Summary

This guide details effective strategies for preventing foodborne parasites, including proper cooking and freezing methods, mindful consumption of high-risk foods, and maintaining stringent kitchen hygiene to avoid contamination.

Key Points

Practice Proper Hygiene: Wash hands, utensils, and surfaces thoroughly and frequently to prevent cross-contamination, especially after handling raw foods.
Cook and Freeze Properly: Always cook meats and seafood to their safe minimum internal temperatures and freeze raw fish destined for sushi to kill potential parasites.
Wash All Produce: Clean fruits and vegetables meticulously under running water to remove parasitic eggs, and use a brush for firm-skinned items.
Use Safe Water: Ensure your drinking water is clean by boiling or filtering it, and avoid swallowing water from recreational sources like lakes and rivers.
Avoid High-Risk Foods: Be cautious with raw or undercooked meat, fish, aquatic plants, and unpasteurized dairy, as these are common sources of foodborne parasites.
Source Reputable Food: When consuming raw food like sushi, ensure the ingredients come from reputable suppliers who follow strict safety protocols.

The Threat of Foodborne Parasites

Parasites are organisms that live on or in a host and get their food from or at the expense of their host. Many can be transmitted through food and water, posing a significant risk to human health. While some parasitic infections may be mild or show no symptoms, others can lead to serious, long-term health complications, particularly for individuals with weakened immune systems. The key to protection lies in understanding the sources of contamination and adopting robust preventive measures.

Foodborne parasites can enter the food supply chain at various stages, from the farm to the kitchen table. Contaminated soil or water can affect produce, while raw or undercooked meat, poultry, and seafood are known carriers of parasitic organisms like Trichinella and tapeworms. Poor hygiene practices by food handlers can also be a source of contamination. By prioritizing safe food practices, you can effectively minimize your risk.

Safe Food Handling: Your First Line of Defense

Preventing parasites often starts with basic hygiene and careful handling of food during preparation. Simple habits can significantly reduce the risk of cross-contamination.

Best Practices for Kitchen Hygiene:

Wash Your Hands: The most critical step. Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds before and after handling food, especially raw meat, poultry, and seafood.
Separate Raw and Cooked: Use separate cutting boards, knives, and utensils for raw and ready-to-eat foods to prevent the transfer of pathogens.
Keep Surfaces Clean: Regularly clean and sanitize all kitchen surfaces, particularly after preparing raw items. Use hot, soapy water, or a diluted bleach solution.
Wash Produce Thoroughly: Wash all fruits and vegetables under running water, even those with peels, to remove surface contaminants. A vegetable brush can be used for items with firm skin.

Cooking and Freezing: Your Weapons Against Parasites

Heat and cold are highly effective at killing many parasites. Cooking to the correct internal temperature is crucial for meat and seafood, while freezing can make raw fish safer for consumption.

Safe Cooking Temperatures

Cooking food thoroughly to a safe minimum internal temperature will eliminate most parasites and other harmful pathogens. A food thermometer is the most reliable way to ensure your food is cooked correctly.

Safe Minimum Internal Temperatures


Food Type	Safe Minimum Internal Temperature	Sources of Parasites
Whole Cuts of Red Meat (e.g., beef, pork)	62.8°C (145°F), with a 3-minute rest time	Taenia solium (pork tapeworm), Taenia saginata (beef tapeworm), Trichinella
Ground Meats (e.g., beef, pork)	71°C (160°F)	Taenia solium (pork tapeworm), Trichinella
Poultry (Whole or Ground)	74°C (165°F)	Trichinella, various avian parasites
Fish and Seafood	63°C (145°F)	Anisakis, Diphyllobothrium latum (fish tapeworm)

Freezing Raw Fish for Safety

For those who enjoy raw fish dishes like sushi or sashimi, freezing is a critical step to kill parasites. This process is especially important for wild-caught fish, which can carry parasites like Anisakis. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends specific freezing protocols for seafood to be consumed raw:

Freeze at -20°C (-4°F) or below for 7 days.
Alternatively, freeze at -35°C (-31°F) or below for 15 hours.

Ensure that you source "sushi-grade" fish from reputable suppliers who adhere to these freezing standards and request documentation if needed.

Avoiding Parasites in Specific Foods

Certain foods carry a higher risk of parasitic contamination than others. Being aware of these and taking specific precautions is key.

Meat and Wild Game: Cooking meat thoroughly to the recommended temperatures is the best defense against Trichinella and tapeworms. Always cook wild game like bear or wild boar to a safe temperature, as these are common carriers.
Raw and Undercooked Fish: Aside from ensuring commercial fish is properly frozen, exercise caution with recreational catches. Remove organs from fresh fish promptly, as parasites are often concentrated there, and visually inspect fillets.
Fruits and Vegetables: Produce can be contaminated by soil or water containing parasitic eggs. Thoroughly washing and, where appropriate, peeling fruits and vegetables is essential. Cooking produce is the safest method to eliminate contamination entirely.
Aquatic Plants: Raw aquatic plants like watercress can be a source of flukes. Cooking them before consumption is a safer choice.
Unpasteurized Products: Unpasteurized milk and cider can carry parasites like Cryptosporidium. Always choose pasteurized dairy and juices.

The Importance of Clean Water

Contaminated water is a major source of parasitic infections worldwide, with common culprits including Giardia and Cryptosporidium. These parasites can contaminate drinking water, pools, and natural water sources like rivers and lakes.

Tips for Water Safety:

Drink Safe Water: Avoid drinking water from sources you don't know to be safe. When traveling or in areas with questionable water quality, drink bottled water or boil tap water for at least one minute.
Be Cautious with Recreational Water: Try to avoid swallowing water when swimming in lakes, rivers, or pools.
Filter Water: If relying on well water or a potentially unsafe source, use a filtration system that meets NSF/ANSI standards for cyst removal.

Conclusion: A Proactive Approach to Parasite Prevention

Preventing foodborne parasites requires a proactive, multi-layered approach to food and water safety. By combining proper kitchen hygiene with appropriate cooking, freezing, and handling techniques, you can drastically reduce your risk of infection. While awareness is the first step, consistent application of these practices in your daily routine is what truly protects your health and well-being. Remember to consult official health resources for the latest safety guidelines. For more on global food safety standards, you can visit the World Health Organization's website on food safety.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, raw or undercooked fish can contain parasites like Anisakis. To minimize risk, fish intended for raw consumption should be frozen at specific temperatures and for set durations by reputable suppliers.

Symptoms vary by parasite but often include gastrointestinal issues like diarrhea, abdominal pain, and bloating. Other signs can include fatigue, joint pain, skin rashes, and weight loss.

Thoroughly washing all produce under running water is crucial. For extra safety, you can use a produce brush for firm items. In high-risk areas, cooking vegetables is the most effective method.

For whole cuts of beef or pork, cook to 62.8°C (145°F) with a rest time. For ground meat, cook to 71°C (160°F), and for poultry, to 74°C (165°F).

Yes, waterborne parasites like Giardia and Cryptosporidium are common causes of illness. Drinking bottled water, boiling tap water, and avoiding swallowing water in lakes or rivers are effective preventive measures.

Freezing is effective for killing many parasites, particularly in seafood, when done at specific temperatures and for sufficient duration. However, it may not kill all types of bacteria or viruses, so proper cooking is still essential for other food types.

Yes, some parasites can be transmitted from animals to humans, such as Toxoplasma from cat feces. Practicing good hygiene, like washing hands after handling pets or cleaning litter boxes, is important.