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Tuna safe despite parasite reports, says ICAR-CMFRI
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Monday, 28 September, 2026, 08 : 00 AM [IST]
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Our Bureau, Mumbai
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The ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (ICAR-CMFRI), Kochi, has advised consumers not to avoid tuna or other commercially available fish solely based on reports of parasitic infections detected in fish from a particular geographical region.
The advisory follows reports of parasites found in skipjack tuna based on a study of fish collected from the Atlantic Ocean off Brazil. ICAR-CMFRI clarified that findings from a specific region should not be generalised to fish caught in Indian waters.
According to the Institute, fish examined along the Indian coast, including tuna, have not shown external manifestations of harmful parasitic infestation. The occurrence and abundance of parasites can vary among individual fish and across geographical regions, depending on ecological conditions and the availability of intermediate or secondary hosts, such as copepods.
Dr Grinson George, Director, ICAR-CMFRI, said that scientists at the Institute regularly examine fish, including skipjack tuna, as part of fish biology studies. Fish are also examined for abnormalities and parasites whenever necessary. He noted that the fish examined by the Institute have not shown external manifestations of harmful parasitic infestation.
The Institute also pointed out that variations in parasite occurrence are used internationally as one of the indicators for differentiating fish stocks or populations. Consequently, parasite-related findings from fish in one geographical region cannot automatically be applied to the same species occurring in another region.
From a food-safety perspective, ICAR-CMFRI stressed the importance of proper and prompt evisceration during fish handling and processing. The intestines and other viscera are generally removed during cleaning and processing. Proper cooking further kills parasites and can significantly reduce associated food-safety risks.
The Institute noted that the potential risk may be higher in countries where raw or lightly cooked seafood is consumed as part of traditional dietary practices, particularly where parasite prevalence in a specific locality is high or has not been adequately assessed. In India, seafood is generally cooked at high temperatures, providing an additional food-safety measure.
ICAR-CMFRI therefore advised consumers to continue consuming tuna and other commercially available fish while following appropriate handling, cleaning and cooking practices. The Institute emphasised that reports of parasites in fish from a specific geographical region should not, by themselves, be a reason to avoid commercially available fish from Indian waters.
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