Alleviating concern over a recent study report on parasites in tuna, the ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (ICAR-CMFRI) has said that the tuna caught along Indian coast do not show any harmful parasite infestation and hence are safe to consume as a healthy diet.

CMFRI advised consumers not to avoid tuna or other commercially available fish solely based on reports of parasitic infections detected in fish from a particular region.

The advisory comes in the wake of reports highlighting the presence of parasites in skipjack tuna based on a study conducted on fish from the Atlantic Ocean off Brazil.

Scientists at CMFRI regularly examine fish, including skipjack tuna, as part of fish biology studies and observe fish for abnormalities and parasites whenever necessary. The fish examined do not show external manifestations of harmful parasitic infestation, said Dr Grinson George, Director of the institute.

The institute said such findings from a particular geographical region should not be generalised to tuna caught in Indian waters. The presence and abundance of parasites in individual fish can vary depending on ecological conditions and the availability of intermediate or secondary hosts such as copepods. Because of this trait, parasites have been used as an indicator to differentiate fish stocks or populations globally.

As an additional precaution for food safety, CMFRI advised that proper and quick evisceration is an important step for ensuring food hygiene.

However, in certain countries raw or lightly cooked seafood is consumed as a cultural practice and can be risky if the parasites prevalence in the particular locality is high and not properly evaluated. In India, normal culinary practices with seafood involve cooking at high temperatures, he added.

Published on September 23, 2026