Does the intensity of anisakis infection affect the quality of hake muscle

Abstract

The distribution of Anisakis larvae in fresh caught hake was studied, and the influence of three infection levels of the viscera (low, medium, high) on quality changes of deep frozen muscle was followed over 220 days. Differences in quality were attributed more to the size of the individuals than to the infection degree of the three groups. The removal of belly flaps diminished the risk of consumers infection and sensitization as prevalence and intensity was reduced to 75.6 and 5.9%, respectively. Allergens were detected after 220 days frozen storage, which represents a risk for consumers already allergic to Anisakis.