Should I Eat Raw Fish or Not? An Investigation into Italian Consumers Knowledge of the Risk Associated with Parasites

The study focused on examining consumers increasing interest in meals that feature raw or barely processed fish as well as their awareness of the health risks—such as allergies to proteins from the Anisakis—associated with these culinary preparations. Concerns concerning food safety are raised by the growing popularity of culinary preparations typical of other countries, based on raw seafood, especially in light of the possibility of contamination by parasites like Anisakis, Opisthorchis, or Diphillobotrium. Although there have been more reports of parasites in seafood products, there is reason to suspect that the number of confirmed cases of contamination may be underreported due to the low incidence of actual cases. The aim of this study was to evaluate the level of consumer awareness regarding these risks and related allergies, as well as to pinpoint information gaps in the consumers and seafood supply chain domains.