Answer to the Parasite Case of the Week 802: No significant parasite risk.
But wait, you may say, what about paragonimiasis???
As noted by Anatoly, Kim Tae Yun, and others, these are marine crabs rather than fresh water - an important distinction! Eating undercooked freshwater or estuarine (brackish) crabs could indeed lead to paragonimiasis, and this was historically an endemic infection in Korea. However, the risk from eating undercooked marine crabs is relatively low. According to Kim Tae Yun, "Most Korean people enjoy the food so called GEJANG (crab soaked in soy sauce)...And the GEJANG in the photo looks very delicious."
What do you think?
Anisakiasis and gnathostomiasis are hypothetical risks from eating freshwater crabs as well, but highly unlikely as crabs are not the typical hosts for the associated parasites.
I must admit that I chose not to eat this dish for two reasons: first, I was uncertain about the type of crab offered, and second, I'm not a huge fan of raw seafood. However, the food I did eat, including a crab hotpot and kimchi pancake, were absolutely delicious.
Thank you all for sharing your own experiences.
2 comments:
Never thought that in those parasitic infections distinction between crab types should be made. Thank you on clarification.
The operative word in your answer is 'undercooked'. So, from a travel medicine perspective, that is sufficient information to politely decline the dish!!
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