Anisakis in children

Fish is a product with many and very attractive nutritional properties, so it is highly recommended that it be part of the diet of children and adults with a frequency of, at least, a couple of times to the week. However, some fish can transmit anisakis, a parasite that can cause an allergic reactio

Fish is a product with many and very attractive nutritional properties, so it is highly recommended that it be part of the diet of children and adults with a frequency of, at least, a couple of times to the week.

However, some fish can transmit anisakis, a parasite that can cause an allergic reaction. In Guiainfantil.com we tell you what are the symptoms and the treatment.

Fish for children: yes or no?

The fish are classified in white and blue, the main differences between them being the amount of fat they contain. Blue fish (salmon, tuna, sardines ...) can contain more than 10% fat, much higher than that contained in white fish (cod, sole, hake ...), around or below 2% . However, far from being a disadvantage, the fat present in blue fish provides polyunsaturated fatty acids, omega 3 and omega 6, including some essentials that the body can not obtain otherwise.

In general, and provided that the cold chain and very simple hygiene measures are respected, it is a safe food, but with certain fish it is necessary to take some extra precautions to avoid anisakiosis.

Allergic reaction in children due to anisakis

Anisakiosis is the disease caused by the larvae of some worm of the family Anisakidae. Its symptomatology includes direct symptoms, that is, digestive problems of greater or lesser severity that appear between 1 and 12 hours after ingestion, and indirect symptoms due to allergic reactions to the parasite, which may appear between 1 and 24 hours after ingestion. Anisakiosis is one of the most frequent food allergies related to fish consumption.

It is necessary to know how to identify the parasite, a species of small whitish worms that can be found in the flesh of fish, and it is necessary to know which species are more susceptible to being infested with the parasite. For example, among white fish, cod or hake, sardines and anchovies and among blue fish, salmon and tuna and bonito. Also squid and the like, like the flying or cuttlefish.

How to prevent anisakis poisoning in children

There are certain preventive rules to ensure the safety of susceptible fish in restaurants. These standards include freezing below 20 ° C for at least 24 hours for fish that are to be eaten raw or those that have been subjected to a cold smoking process, applicable to all species considered susceptible to harboring the parasite. The fish that are going to be consumed in salting or escabeche must also be frozen prior to consumption.

At home you can take certain measures to prevent anisakiosis, starting from the purchase. When buying, it is advisable to choose pieces that have been eviscerated, or to do so as soon as possible. A thorough and thorough control of the loins of the fish should be carried out, and, as in the recommendations for the restaurants, it should reach a temperature equal to or higher than 60 ° C in the center of the piece during cooking for at least one minute .

Following these recommendations, there should be no problem with anisakis when consuming fish, and, being an attractive product as it is, anisakis should not be an impediment to its consumption.