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{{Short description|Japanese dish of raw fish}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2019}}
[[File:241109 Shigaraki ware Koga Shiga pref Japan01s3.jpg|thumb|''Sashimi'' on a [[Shigaraki ware]] plate]]
[[File:Sashimi combo (30122297838).jpg|thumb|''Sashimi'' combo of slices of assorted fish meat, served on a wooden plate]]
{{nihongo|'''Sashimi'''|刺身||4={{IPAc-en|lang|s|ə|ˈ|ʃ|iː|m|i}} {{respell|sə|SHEE|mee}}, {{IPA|ja|saɕimiꜜ|lang}}}} is a [[Japanese cuisine|Japanese delicacy]] consisting of fresh [[raw fish]] or [[Raw meat|meat]] sliced into thin pieces and often eaten with [[soy sauce]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/sashimi |title=sashimi Meaning in the Cambridge English Dictionary |website=dictionary.cambridge.org  |access-date=20 August 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180820105620/https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/sashimi |archive-date=20 August 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref>

== Origin ==
[[File:Sashimi.jpg|thumb|Assorted ''sashimi'': [[Tuna as food|tuna]], [[cuttlefish]], and [[seabream]]]]
The word ''sashimi'' means 'pierced body', i.e., "[[wikt:刺身|刺身]]" = ''sashimi'', where [[wikt:刺|刺]] [[wikt:し|し]] = ''sashi'' (pierced, stuck) and [[wikt:身|身]] = ''mi'' (body, meat). This word dates from the [[Muromachi period]] (1336–1573){{citation needed|date=November 2024}} and there are multiple theories as to its etymology:

The term was possibly coined when the word "[[wikt:切る|切る]]" = ''kiru'' (cut), the culinary step, was considered too inauspicious to be used by anyone other than a [[samurai]]. This word may derive from the culinary practice of sticking the fish's tail and fin to the slices for the purpose of identifying the fish being eaten.{{citation needed|date=December 2021}}

Another possibility for the name is the traditional method of harvesting. "''Sashimi''-grade" fish is caught by individual handline. As soon as the fish is landed, its brain is pierced with a sharp spike, and it is placed in slurried ice. This spiking is called the [[ikejime]] process, and the instant death means that the fish's flesh contains a minimal amount of [[lactic acid]]. This means that the fish will keep fresh on ice for longer without turning white or otherwise degrading.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Totos |date=2012-12-04 |title=Ike Jime Part 2 – What “closing” does to the fish? {{!}} Japanese Anglers Secrets |url=https://anglers-secrets.com/what-closing-does-to-the-fish/ |access-date=2025-10-30 |language=en-US}}</ref>

Many non-Japanese use the terms ''sashimi'' and ''[[sushi]]'' interchangeably, but the two dishes are distinct and separate. Sushi refers to any dish made with vinegared rice. While raw fish is one traditional sushi ingredient, many sushi dishes contain seafood that has been cooked, and others have no seafood at all, including ingredients like seaweed, vegetables, omelets, and fried tofu.<ref name="RD">{{cite magazine |last1=Phillips |first1=Hedy |date=18 February 2022 |title=What Is Sashimi, Exactly? |url=https://www.rd.com/article/what-is-sashimi/ |magazine=[[Reader's Digest]] |access-date=4 December 2022}}</ref> ''Sashimi,'' by contrast, is always served on its own.<ref name="pogogi">{{cite web |title=What is the difference between Sushi vs Sashimi |url=https://pogogi.com/what-difference-between-sushi-vs-sashimi |website=Pogogi |access-date=17 May 2019 |language=en |date=20 February 2014}}</ref> Although Japan has long had the custom of eating fish raw, the idea of serving it as a beautifully arranged dish is thought to have come from China, probably around the [[Kamakura period]] (1185&ndash;1333). An early cookbook in Japanese, written in 1489, directs that the raw flesh should be sliced and mixed with vinegar and seasonings such as salt and herbs.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Gordenker |first=Alice |date=20 November 2022 |title=Your Informed Guide to Sashimi Garnishes: What are they and should you eat them? |url=https://www.japanesefoodguide.com/sashimi-garnishes-tsuma/ |access-date=27 November 2022 |language=en-US}}</ref>

An early western description of sashimi comes from a letter written by the future [[Admiral of the Fleet (Royal Navy)|Admiral of the Fleet]], [[Sir Arthur Wilson, 3rd Baronet|Sir Arthur Wilson]] of the [[Royal Navy]], who was assigned to the British naval mission to Japan in the late 1860s: "It is a peculiar sort of fish, which they cut in very thin slices and serve up with some sort of sauce over it. It is considered a great delicacy. I have tried it and did not find it bad, but the idea is not nice."<ref>{{Cite book |last=Bradford |first=Sir Edward Eden |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XNNpAAAAMAAJ&dq=Life+of+Admiral+of+the+Fleet+Sir+Arthur+Knyvet+Wilson,+Bart.,+V.C.,+G.C.B.,+O.M.,+G.C.V.O.&pg=PA26 |title=Life of Admiral of the Fleet Sir Arthur Knyvet Wilson, Bart., V.C., G.C.B., O.M., G.C.V.O. |date=1923 |publisher=J. Murray |pages=26 |language=en}}</ref>

== Serving ==
[[File:Fugu sashimi.jpg|thumb|Plate of ''fugu sashimi'' (thinly sliced [[Tetraodontidae|puffer fish]])]]
[[File:TakoBiki.YanagiBa.jpg|thumb|80px|''[[Sashimi bōchō|Sashimibōchō]]'' kitchen knives for ''sashimi'']]

''Sashimi'' is often served early in a formal Japanese meal but it can also be served in a sashimi set meal, presented with [[rice]] and [[miso soup]] in separate bowls. Japanese chefs consider ''sashimi'' the finest dish in Japanese formal dining and recommend that it be eaten before other strong flavors affect the [[palate]].<ref name="Tsuji">{{cite book |last1=Tsuji |first1=Shizuo |last2=Fisher |first2=M.F.K. |last3=Reichi |first3=Ruth |title=Japanese Cooking: A Simple Art |edition=25th Anniversary |date=17 February 2007 |publisher=Kodansha USA |isbn=978-4-7700-3049-8 |pages=158–60}}</ref>

The sliced seafood that composes the main ingredient is typically draped over a garnish. The typical garnish is Asian white radish, ''[[daikon]]'', shredded into long thin strands, or single leaves of the herb ''[[shiso]]'' ([[Perilla frutescens var. crispa|perilla]]).<ref name="Tsuji" /> Garnishes for sashimi are generally called ''tsuma'' and may also include slices of other raw vegetables, such as cucumbers and carrots, as well as seaweeds, flowers and leaves and stems of other plants.<ref name=":0" />

''Sashimi'' is popularly served with a dipping sauce ([[soy sauce]]) and condiments such as [[wasabi]] paste, grated fresh [[ginger]],<ref name="Tsuji" /> ''[[gari (ginger)|gari]]'' or pickled ginger,<ref name="RD"/><ref>{{cite web |url=https://japandeluxetours.com/experiences/wasabi |title=Wasabi |publisher=Japan Deluxe Tours |access-date=30 May 2017}}</ref> grated fresh [[garlic]], or [[ponzu]] for meat ''sashimi'', and such garnishes as shiso and shredded daikon radish.
Wasabi paste is sometimes mixed directly into soy sauce as a dipping sauce, which is generally not done when eating [[sushi]] (which itself normally includes ''wasabi''). A reputed motivation for serving wasabi with ''sashimi'' and also ''gari'', besides its flavor, is killing harmful bacteria and parasites that could be present in raw seafood.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sushifaq.com/sushi-items/sushi-items-wasabi.htm |title=Sushi Items – Wasabi |publisher=The Sushi FAQ |access-date=12 July 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110806033433/http://www.sushifaq.com/sushi-items/sushi-items-wasabi.htm |archive-date=6 August 2011 |url-status=live}}</ref>

== Preparation ==
To highlight the delicate flavor as well as for texture, the chef cuts fish into different thicknesses by variety of the fish, its age and by the season.<ref name="Ōta2008">{{cite book |last = Ōta |first= Tadamichi | language= ja |year= 2008 | title = Kentei washoku chōri no hōchō gijutsu: shoshinsha kara ryōrinin made gijutsu ga kanzen ni mi ni tsuku ! |trans-title= Certified Japanese cooking technology for using kitchen knives: From beginners to cooks, skills are fully acquired! |location= Tōkyō |publisher= Asahiya shuppan | isbn= 9784751107690 | oclc= 23313847}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last =Ōta |first= Tadamichi | language= ja |title = Shin★sashimi ryori no chori to enshutsu: ninki wo yobu sashimi-zukuri no gijutsu kokai | trans-title= New Sashimi dish cooking and presentation: Technical know-how revealed on preparing popular sashimi dishes | publisher = Asahiya Shuppan |year = 2013 | series = Asahiya Shuppan MOOK |isbn= 9784751110256 |oclc= 842834700}}{{NCID|BB13254487}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |language= ja | author = Ōta, T. | title = Shinka suru sashimi ryori: miryoku wo takameru sashimi no ryori-zukuri to chori gijutsu |trans-title= Evolving sashimi cuisine: Sashimi cooking and decoration techniques to better appeal| publisher = Asahiya Shuppan| year = 2018|isbn = 9784751113127| oclc = 1021860782}}{{NCID|BB25638919}}</ref> The ''hira-zukuri'' cut (literally 'flat slice'), is the standard cut for most ''sashimi''. Typically this style of cut is the size of a domino and {{convert|3/8|in|mm|abbr=on|order=flip|0}} thick. Tuna, salmon, and kingfish are most commonly cut in this style. The ''usu-zukuri'' cut (literally 'thin slice'), is an extremely thin, diagonally cut slice that is mostly used to cut firm fish, such as bream, whiting, and flounder. The dimensions of this cut are usually {{convert|2|in|mm|abbr=on|order=flip|-1}} long and {{convert|1/16|in|mm|abbr=on|order=flip|0}} wide. The ''kaku-zukuri'' cut (literally 'square slice'), is the style in which ''sashimi'' is cut into small cubes that are {{convert|3/4|in|mm|abbr=on|order=flip|-1}} on each side. The ''ito-zukuri'' cut (literally 'thread slice'), is the style in which the fish is cut into fine strips, less than {{convert|1/16|in|mm|abbr=on|order=flip|0}} in diameter. The fish typically cut with the ''ito-zukuri'' style include garfish and squid;<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.goodfood.com.au/good-food/cook/how-to-prepare-sashimi-20141110-11jswk.html |title=How to prepare sashimi |work=Good Food |access-date=12 April 2016 |date=10 November 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160406120654/http://www.goodfood.com.au/good-food/cook/how-to-prepare-sashimi-20141110-11jswk.html |archive-date=6 April 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ccy_o8xh_BwC&q=kaku+zukuri+sushi&pg=PA27 |title=Sushi |access-date=12 April 2016 |isbn=978-0-87701-238-2 |last1=Detrick |first1=Mia |year=1981|publisher=Chronicle Books }}</ref>  squid dish prepared in ''ito-zukuri'' is also called ''[[ika sōmen]]'' and is dipped in dashi or ''[[List of Japanese condiments#Mentsuyu|men-tsuyu]]'' like eating ''sōmen'' noodle.<ref name="Ōta2008"/>

== Varieties ==
{{See also|List of sushi and sashimi ingredients}}
[[File:A paradise for seafood lovers (41175057760).jpg|thumb|A large variety of sashimi being sold in [[Hokkaido]]]]

Popular main ingredients for sashimi include:
* {{nihongo|[[Salmon as food|Salmon]] | 鮭 |Sake}}
* {{nihongo|[[Squid as food|Squid]] | いか |Ika}}
* {{nihongo|[[Shrimp and prawn as food|Shrimp]] | えび |Ebi}}
* {{nihongo|[[Tuna as food|Tuna]] | マグロ |Maguro}}
* {{nihongo|[[Mackerel as food|Mackerel]] | さば |Saba}}
* {{nihongo|[[Japanese horse mackerel|Horse mackerel]] | あじ |Aji}}
* {{nihongo|[[Octopus (food)|Octopus]] | たこ |Tako}}
* {{nihongo|Fatty [[Tuna as food|tuna]] | おおとろ |Ōtoro}}
* {{nihongo|[[Japanese amberjack|Yellowtail]] | はまち |Hamachi}}
* {{nihongo|[[Scallop]] | ほたて貝 |Hotate-gai}}
* {{nihongo|[[Sea urchin as food|Sea urchin]] | ウニ |Uni}}

Some sashimi ingredients, such as octopus, are sometimes served cooked given their chewy nature. Most seafood, such as tuna, salmon, and squid, are served raw. ''[[Tataki]]'' (たたき or 叩き, 'pounded') is a type of sashimi that is quickly and lightly [[seared]] on the outside, leaving it raw inside.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Nigiri vs. Sashimi: What is the difference between Nigiri and Sashimi? |date=29 November 2020 |url=https://www.difference101.com/nigiri-vs-sashimi/ |access-date=2021-04-15}}</ref>

=== Ingredients other than raw fish meat ===

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Food cut into small pieces and eaten with wasabi and soy sauce may be called sashimi in Japan, including the following ingredients. Like bamboo shoots, the food is enjoyed raw to appreciate the freshness, and producers and farmers offer those sashimi at their properties in top season. Some of the vegetables are enjoyed as thin sliced strips and called sashimi while they resemble fish meat, like avocado as salmon and konnyaku as puffer fish.

Less common, but not unusual, sashimi ingredients are vegetarian items, such as [[Yuba (food)|yuba]] (bean curd skin), and raw red meats, such as [[beef]] (known as ''gyuunotataki'') or [[horse meat|horse]] (known as ''basashi'').<ref name="Mouritsen 2009 p. 296">{{cite book | last=Mouritsen | first=O.G. | title=Sushi: Food for the Eye, the Body and the Soul | publisher=Springer | year=2009 | isbn=978-1-4419-0618-2 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RJxuV-0eT4UC&pg=PA296 | access-date=13 May 2019 | page=296 | quote= basashi – sashimi made from raw horse (uma).}}</ref> [[chicken (food)|Chicken]] "sashimi" (known as ''toriwasa'') is considered by some {{who|date=January 2014}} to be a delicacy; the [[Nagoya#Cuisine|Nagoya]] [[Cochin (chicken)|kōchin]], [[France|French]] ''[[Bresse (chicken)|poulet de Bresse]]'' and its American derivative, the [[blue foot chicken]], are favored by many for this purpose, as, besides their taste, they are certified to be free of ''[[Salmonella]]''.{{Citation needed|date=January 2014}} Chicken sashimi is sometimes slightly braised or seared on the outside.<ref name="chicken" />

;Vegetable
* [[Avocado]]: served as "avocado sashimi", it is considered to have a texture similar to raw or slightly salted fatty salmon. It is eaten with wasabi soy sauce.
* [[Bamboo shoot]]s: Bamboo grove famers serve [[takenoko]] in course menu, and sashimi is almost always sold during the high season of harvest.<ref>{{Cite journal |title= Takenoko no sashimi |journal= Fuji Take-rui Shokubutsuen Hokoku: The Reports of the Fuji Bamboo Garden |oclc= 5178838299|pages = 95–98|last = Muroi |first = Hiroshi|location= [[Gotemba, Shizuoka]] |issn = 0287-3494|publisher= Nihon takesasa no kai|date= July 1983|number = 27|language=ja }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last=Ikenami |first=Shotaro |author-link=Shōtarō Ikenami |date=June 1989 |title=Kenyaku shobai hocho-gonomi: takenoko no sashimi hoka 4-ten |journal=[[Shōsetsu Shinchō]] |language=ja |publisher=[[Shinchosha]] |volume=43 |pages=142–145 |doi=10.11501/6075166 |number=7(541)}}</ref>
* Japanese [[radish]]: among many varieties of vegetables eaten fresh, it is said that the flavor stands out when tasted within a couple of hours after harvesting, and called sashimi vegetables instead of very fresh salad.<ref>{{cite journal|language=ja|title= kigyo to ningen: shun no yasai no sashimi wo shokutaku e no fudo sabisu-bin — Mitsui shokuhin gokyo kabushikigaisha to Iwata Sekio-shi|trans-title= Industry and individuals: Food service that flights fresh vegetables sashimi onto your dining table — Mitsui Food Industries, Ltd. and Sekio Iwata |journal = Shokuhin No Hoso |location= Nagoya | publisher= Hoso shokuhin gijutu kyokai |volume= 29|number= 2|date= March 1998|pages= 3–5|issn= 0285-4449|url= http://dl.ndl.go.jp/titleThumb/info:ndljp/pid/3326910|url-access=limited}}</ref>
* [[Konnyaku]]: cut into short thin strips resembling puffer fish meat, thus called ''yama fugu'' (mountain puffer fish) in some regions. Served with vinegar and miso, wasabi and soy sauce, vinegar and soy sauce.
* [[Tofu skin|Yuba, or tofu skin]]: while there are restaurants where customers cook their own yuba and eat while it is hot, yuba-sashi or sashimi of yuba is chilled and served with wasabi soy sauce or vinegar miso.<ref>{{cite journal  |language=ja|title= (G)Kyoto-hen: fumi yutakana "Yubani" no namayuba sashimi|trans-title=  Kyoto edition: Raw Yuba sashimi at "Yuba ni", rich in flavor |page=33|journal= Shukan Shincho|volume= 36|number= 22|publisher=Shinchosha|date= June 1991|doi= 10.11501/3378682|issn= 0488-7484|last1= 新潮社}}</ref>

;Meat
Beef, pork, and [[Torisashi|poultry]] are bought from licensed butchers and processors and served raw or slightly cooked to avoid high risk of food poisoning and parasite infection. Meat may be treated in boiling water (yubiki) or braised with a gas torch (aburi). Served with [[ponzu]] citrus vinegar.

* [[Chicken meat]] (''toriwasa'') is thinly sliced [[Nagoya#Cuisine|Nagoya]] [[Cochin (chicken)|kōchin]] flesh, liver, heart and gizzard.
* Chiragaa: boiled face skin of pork,<ref>{{cite dictionary|title= Chiragaa |dictionary= Digital Daijisen plus}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |title= Okinawa suro fudo okoku: karada to kokoro ni hibikiau, furusato okinawa no aji magajin |trans-title= Okinawa Slow Food Kingdom: Taste magazine of oldness and Okinawa that resonates with body and mind|editor= Okinawa/Amami Slow Food Society |location= Tokyo |publisher = Ei Shuppan|date= October 2004|language=ja |page= 29 | isbn = 4-7779-0171-8|ref={{sfnref|Okinawa/Amami|2004}}}}</ref> served with vinegar and miso sauce, also served as Okinawa cuisine.
* [[Goat meat]]: [[Okinawa prefecture|Okinawa]] cuisine, served with soy sauce and grated ginger.<ref>{{cite book|editor= Tokai seikatsu kenkyu purojekuto Okinawa chimu |title= Okinawa ruru: riaru okinawa-jin ni narutame no 49 no ruru |trans-title= Okinawan Rules: 49 rules that you should master before becoming a real Okinawan|publisher = Chukei shuppan / [[KADOKAWA]] |year = 2009}}</ref>
* Horse meat: offered with grated garlic and soy sauce.
* Mimigaa: boiled ears of pork, also served as Okinawa cuisine.{{sfn|Okinawa/Amami|2004|page=29}}
* Offal: advised to buy from meat processors or restaurants with licenses, as fatal food poisoning happened in Japan with beef liver.{{Efn||name=bliver2012|group=}}{{efn|With cases reported in 2012, [[Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare]] banned beef liver to be served as sashimi after 12 cases of food poisoning was reported.<ref>{{cite journal|title= Nenkan wazuka 12-rei no shokuchudoku wo nakusutame, shomin no tanoshimi wa ubawareta: "Rebasashi" wo kinshi shita Korosho no oobaka kisei |series= Honshi "Shiroari kujotai" ga iku |trans-title= part 13: The pleasure of the common people was taken away to eliminate only 12 cases of food poisoning a year: ban on beef liver sashimi, an absurd measure by the [[Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare]]|publisher= Shogakukan |journal= Shukan Posuto|volume= 44 |number= 20(2180)|date= 2012-05-18|pages= 47–49 |language=ja}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last= Taniguchi|first= Natsuko |year= 2013|title= Sayonara rebasashi: Kinshi made no yonhyaku-sanjūhachi-nichikan|trans-title= Goodbye, liver sashimi: 438 days to ban|location= Tokyo|publisher= Takeshobō|series= BAMBOO ESSAY SELECTION |isbn= 9784812495933 |oclc= 853442433}}</ref> The regulation was tightened in 2015 and pork liver was added to banned offal.<ref>{{cite news|url= http://mainichi.jp/shimen/news/20150527dde041040019000c.html|trans-title= Raw pork lever: Ministry of Labor Bans, starting middle next month|title= Buta no nama rebā: Teikyō kinshi Kōrōshō, raigetsu chūjun kara |language=ja|newspaper= Mainichi Shinbun |date = 27 May 2015}}</ref>|name=|group=}}
* Wild meat: boar as Okinawa cuisine consumed on [[Iriomote Island|Iriomote]] and [[Ishigaki Island|Ishigaki]] islands and boiled meat is served. Deer meat.

;Others
* [[Fishcake]]: An item in the express menu of [[Izakaya]], offered as Itawasa. Sliced into {{convert|1|cm|in|abbr=}}  thick strips, and eaten with wasabi and soy sauce.
* Seaweed: [[wakame]] is in strict sense not eaten raw but dipped in boiling water for a few seconds, and enjoyed with wasabi soy sauce. Marinating with vinegar and miso sauce is popular as well.

<gallery>
File:Yagisashi Okinawa Naha.jpg|alt=Goat meat served raw as sashimi.|Goat meat served raw as sashimi
File:JP-47 Mimiga and Chiraga.jpg|alt=Thinly sliced mimiga and chiraga served as sashimi.|Thinly sliced "mimigā" (near) and "chiragā" (far)
File:Dolphin Sashimi.jpg|A plate of dolphin sashimi
File:Basashi (15121111029).jpg|A plate of horse sashimi (''basashi'')
File:Beef sashimi (4329731489).jpg|Beef sashimi
File:Kurosatsumadori no aburi tataki.jpg|Chicken sashimi served lightly braised as [[tataki]]
File:レバ刺し.jpg|[[Liver (food)|Beef liver]] sashimi served with sesame seed oil and salt{{Efn|Japanese regulation has banned providing or selling raw beef liver for sashimi at restaurants or stores, due to the risk of Hepatitis E and Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli, since July 2012.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.mhlw.go.jp/stf/seisakunitsuite/bunya/kenkou_iryou/shokuhin/syouhisya/110720/index.html|title=Japanese regulation document|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150724035815/http://www.mhlw.go.jp/stf/seisakunitsuite/bunya/kenkou_iryou/shokuhin/syouhisya/110720/index.html|archive-date= 24 July 2015}}</ref>|name=bliver2012|group=}}|alt=1
</gallery>

== Safety ==
As a [[Raw foodism|raw food]], consuming sashimi can result in [[foodborne illness]] when bacteria or parasites are present; for example, [[anisakis|anisakiasis]] is a disease caused by the accidental ingestion of larval [[nematode]]s in the family [[Anisakidae]], primarily ''[[Anisakis]] simplex''  but also ''Pseudoterranova decipiens''.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.fda.gov/Food/FoodSafety/FoodborneIllness/FoodborneIllnessFoodbornePathogensNaturalToxins/BadBugBook/ucm070768.htm |title=BBB – Anisakis simplex and related |publisher=Fda.gov |date=2 February 2009 |access-date=12 July 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110625213139/https://www.fda.gov/Food/FoodSafety/FoodborneIllness/FoodborneIllnessFoodbornePathogensNaturalToxins/BadBugBook/ucm070768.htm |archive-date=25 June 2011 |url-status=dead}}</ref> In addition, incorrectly prepared [[fugu]] fish may contain [[tetrodotoxin]], a potent neurotoxin.

Another type of foodborne illness that could occur after consuming tainted sashimi is [[diphyllobothriasis]]. This disease is an infection within the intestines that occurs when the tapeworm ''[[Diphyllobothrium latum]]'' is consumed. Common fish such as trout, salmon, pike, and sea bass harbor this parasitic larva in their muscles. Since the innovation of the chilled transport system paired with the salmon and trout consumption, an increasing number of cases have been recorded annually in northern Japan due to the spread of this disease.<ref>{{cite journal |title=Sushi Delights and Parasites: The Risk of Fishborne and Foodborne Parasitic Zoonoses in Asia |journal=Clinical Infectious Diseases |volume=41 |issue=9 |pages=1297–1303 |first1=Yukifumi |last1=Nawa |first2=Christoph |last2=Hatz |first3=Johannes |last3=Blum |doi=10.1086/496920 |pmid=16206105 |year=2005 |doi-access=free |url=http://doc.rero.ch/record/294175/files/41-9-1297.pdf }}</ref>

Traditionally, fish that spend at least part of their lives in [[brackish]] or fresh water were considered unsuitable for sashimi because of the possibility of parasites. For example, salmon, an [[Fish migration|anadromous]] fish, is not traditionally eaten straight out of the river.{{citation needed|date=August 2012}} A study in [[Seattle, Washington]], showed that all wild salmon had [[roundworm]] larvae capable of infecting people, while farm-raised salmon did not have any roundworm larvae.<ref>{{cite journal |volume=25 |issue=3 |pages=416–419 |last1=Deardorff |first1=T.L. |first2=M.L. |last2=Kent |title=Prevalence of larval Anisakis simplex in pen-reared and wild-caught salmon (Salmonidae) from Puget Sound, Washington |journal=Journal of Wildlife Diseases |date=1 July 1989 |doi=10.7589/0090-3558-25.3.416 |pmid=2761015|s2cid=41817356 |doi-access=free }}</ref> However, a study commissioned by the Pew Foundation found that total organic contaminants were consistently and significantly more concentrated in the farmed salmon as a group than in wild salmon.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Hites |first=R.A. |title=Global Assessment of Organic Contaminants in Farmed Salmon |journal=Science |date=9 January 2004 |volume=303 |issue=5655 |pages=226–229 |doi=10.1126/science.1091447 |pmid=14716013 |citeseerx=10.1.1.319.8375 |bibcode=2004Sci...303..226H|s2cid=24058620 }}</ref>

Freezing is often used to kill parasites. According to a [[European Union]] regulation,<ref>{{CELEX|32004R0853|text=Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004 laying down specific hygiene rules for food of animal origin}}</ref> freezing fish at −20&nbsp;°C (−4&nbsp;°F) for 24 hours kills parasites.{{refn|The requirement for frozen products was removed from Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 through an amendment made by Commission Regulation (EU) No 1020/2008.<ref>{{CELEX|32008R1020|text=Commission Regulation (EC) No 1020/2008 of 17 October 2008 amending Annexes II and III to Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council laying down specific hygiene rules for food of animal origin and Regulation (EC) No 2076/2005 as regards identification marking, raw milk and dairy products, eggs and egg products and certain fishery products}}</ref> This amendment, adopted on 17 October 2008, modified certain provisions of the original regulation, including the rules concerning the freezing of products of animal origin. One of the key changes in this amendment was related to the removal of the blanket requirement for freezing certain products (like fishery products) before processing or distribution, allowing more flexibility for businesses in handling, storage, and distribution under certain conditions. This change was part of a broader effort to simplify the hygiene rules applicable to food businesses while maintaining food safety standards.}} The [[U.S. Food and Drug Administration]] (FDA) recommends freezing at −35&nbsp;°C (−31&nbsp;°F) for 15 hours, or at −20&nbsp;°C (−4&nbsp;°F) for 7 days.<ref>[https://www.fda.gov/downloads/Food/GuidanceRegulation/UCM252393.pdf Chapter 5: Parasites] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140328010057/https://www.fda.gov/downloads/Food/GuidanceRegulation/UCM252393.pdf |date=28 March 2014 }} Fish and Fishery Products Hazards and Controls Guidance – Fourth Edition</ref>

While [[Canada]] does not federally regulate freezing fish, [[British Columbia]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bccdc.ca/NR/rdonlyres/F1234905-90DE-4071-9344-B6DA9CDC0070/0/IllnessCausingFishParasites.pdf |title=Illness-Causing Fish Parasites (Worms) |access-date=27 April 2010 |date=July 2008 |publisher=[[Provincial Health Services Authority (British Columbia)|BC Centre for Disease Control]] | url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706165853/http://www.bccdc.ca/NR/rdonlyres/F1234905-90DE-4071-9344-B6DA9CDC0070/0/IllnessCausingFishParasites.pdf |archive-date=6 July 2011 }}</ref> and [[Alberta]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.calgaryhealthregion.ca/publichealth/envhealth/program_areas/food_safety/documents/Sushi_Policy_Jan_26_2007.pdf |title=Sushi Sashimi Policy |access-date=27 April 2010 |date=1 February 2007 |publisher=[[Calgary Health Region]] | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110205010406/http://www.calgaryhealthregion.ca/publichealth/envhealth/program_areas/food_safety/documents/Sushi_Policy_Jan_26_2007.pdf |archive-date=5 February 2011 |url-status=live}}</ref> voluntarily adhere to guidelines similar to the FDA's.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://open.alberta.ca/dataset/f58c7d1b-549e-445c-ab68-192fba89e7a0/resource/d15ff72f-cfcc-498e-affc-8dd01f7017c3/download/2014-Farm-Direct-Marketing-Know-Regulations-General-Legislation-Agdex-844-1-2014-11-201.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190529132515/https://open.alberta.ca/dataset/f58c7d1b-549e-445c-ab68-192fba89e7a0/resource/d15ff72f-cfcc-498e-affc-8dd01f7017c3/download/2014-Farm-Direct-Marketing-Know-Regulations-General-Legislation-Agdex-844-1-2014-11-201.pdf |archive-date=2019-05-29 |url-status=live|title=Farm Direct Marketing: Know the Regulations - General Legislation|date=2014|website=Open Government Alberta}}</ref> [[Ontario]] attempted to legislate freezing as part of raw food handling requirements, though this was soon withdrawn due to protests by the industry that the subtle flavors and texture of raw fish would be destroyed by freezing. Instead, Ontario has decided to consider regulations on how raw fish must be handled prior to serving.<ref>[http://www.crfa.ca/news/2004/raw_fish_permitted_in_ontario.asp] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100202030759/http://www.crfa.ca/news/2004/raw_fish_permitted_in_ontario.asp|date=2 February 2010}}</ref>

Some fish for sashimi are treated with [[carbon monoxide]] to keep the flesh red for a longer time in storage. This practice can make [[Food spoilage|spoiled]] fish appear fresh.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A64326-2004Oct26.html |title=What Color Is Your Tuna? Washington Post Wednesday, October 27, 2004 |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |date=27 October 2004 |access-date=12 July 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120401071612/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A64326-2004Oct26.html |archive-date=1 April 2012 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/10/06/dining/06TUNA.html |first=Julia |last=Moskin |date=6 October 2004 |access-date=12 July 2011 |work=[[The New York Times]] | title=Tuna's Red Glare? It Could Be Carbon Monoxide |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130217043418/http://www.nytimes.com/2004/10/06/dining/06TUNA.html |archive-date=17 February 2013 |url-status=live}}</ref>

Eating [[Torisashi|chicken sashimi]] is a serious [[food poisoning]] risk. Despite it being on menus, it is hard to find, and many chefs cook it incorrectly. Chicken sashimi is also often sourced at certain restaurants from the thigh, liver and outer breast.<ref name="chicken">{{cite web |last=Kramer |first=Jillian |title=Is It Safe To Eat Chicken Sashimi? |url=https://www.foodandwine.com/fwx/food/is-it-safe-to-eat-chicken-sashimi |website=Food & Wine |access-date=17 May 2019 |language=en |date=24 January 2017}}</ref>

== Environmental concerns ==
With the constant amount of fishing, bluefin tuna population rates have been steadily declining. A proposed solution has been farming bluefin tuna in fisheries. Historically, this has posed a problem in that the captive fish are not raised from spawn, but rather from small wild fish that are netted and transported to the farms, mostly in the Mediterranean.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/17/opinion/17sat2.html |title=The Bluefin Slaughter |department=The Opinion Pages/Editorial |work=[[The New York Times]] | page=A18 |date=17 November 2007 |access-date=12 July 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150605053330/http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/17/opinion/17sat2.html |archive-date=5 June 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref> However, Japanese scientists have found a way to successfully breed and raise the fish entirely in captivity.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-04-08/bluefin-tuna-farming-japan/6373310 |title=Japanese scientists breed first captive bluefin tuna in fight for sustainable fisheries |department=North Asia |publisher=[[ABC News (Australia)|ABC News]] | date=7 April 2015 |access-date=28 May 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160602112354/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-04-08/bluefin-tuna-farming-japan/6373310 |archive-date=2 June 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref>

== See also ==
{{Portal|Food}}
{{div col|colwidth=30em}}
* [[Surimi]]
* [[Ikizukuri]] (live sashimi)
* [[Kuai (dish)]]
* [[Hoe (dish)]]
* [[Carpaccio]]
* [[Kinilaw]]
* [[Steak tartare]]
* [[Stroganina]]
* [[Tiradito]]
* [[List of raw fish dishes]]
* [[Mercury in fish]]
* [[Ceviche]]
* [[Yusheng]]
{{div col end}}

== Notes ==
{{Notelist}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
{{cookbook}}
{{Commons category|Sashimi}}
* {{Cite news |first=Alice |last=Gordenker |date=28 November 2015 |title=Why Do We Need a Little Bit on the Side? |work=[[Japan Times]] | department=So What the Heck Is That (column)}}  On the garnishes for sashimi.

{{Japanese food and drink}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Animal-based seafood]]
[[Category:Japanese cuisine]]
[[Category:Japanese cuisine terms]]
[[Category:Uncooked fish dishes]]
[[Category:Raw foods]]
[[Category:Sliced foods]]
[[Category:Types of food]]