Why can we eat raw fish, but not raw meat?

You love sushi, and so raw fish seems really tasty to you. And what about raw meat? Why does the idea itself disgust most people (we are not talking about those who are practicing raw food)? The problem is that parasites and bacteria in some types of raw meat, such as pork or chicken, are much more dangerous than those that can live in fish.

What determines the safety of meat

The use of any kind of raw meat is risky, although some are more dangerous than others. It depends on how the meat is cut, where and in what conditions it is stored and, of course, what kinds of microbes and parasites can live in one form or another of the animals. Raw fish can be infected with dangerous parasites, but, as a rule, if it was frozen or processed in a clean kitchen, it can be considered safe. But with raw meat, everything is much more complicated.

Types of meat and possible bacteria

Let's talk about such species as beef, chicken and pork. Bacteria that live in these animals (strains of Salmonella and Escherichia coli, as a rule) are more dangerous to humans than those that are found in fish. Many harmful microbes live in the intestines of cattle, not in its muscles. Does this mean that you should not worry about the safety of steaks? Unfortunately, beef can be contaminated if the butcher pierces the gastrointestinal tract of the animal. Thus, raw steak can be infected with bacteria that live on the surface. Usually a high enough temperature to kill any infection on the surface of the piece, so you can safely eat a steak of any degree of roasting, as inside the meat will be sterile.

Ground beef, on the other hand, is a little more dangerous, because any microbe that was originally on the surface of the meat may be inside. For this reason, probably, it is not necessary to eat a hamburger, if the cutlet inside it is not quite ready.