Raw on a menu means meat, fish, shellfish or eggs served without cooking. Sashimi is fresh fish served raw, and steak tartare is chopped raw beef bound with raw egg yolk.[1][2] Ceviche is raw fish or shellfish marinated in citrus juice: the acid changes its texture, but no heat is used.[3] In the US, the FDA model Food Code asks restaurants to identify these items, by description or an asterisk, and add a reminder that consuming raw or undercooked meats, poultry, seafood, shellfish or eggs may increase your risk of foodborne illness.[4]
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What to order
- Sashimi and nigiri: sashimi is sliced raw fish such as tuna, yellowtail or mackerel, served with soy sauce, wasabi and grated daikon; nigiri sets sliced raw seafood on a hand-shaped oblong of vinegared rice.[1][5]
- Ceviche and poke: ceviche marinates raw fish in lime or lemon juice, and poke is cubed raw fish, today usually yellowfin tuna, marinated in soy sauce and sesame oil and served over rice.[3][6] FDA lists the raw seafood in sashimi and ceviche among foods that people at higher risk should avoid.[7]
- Raw beef: steak tartare is minced raw beef with raw egg yolk, often with toast or fries; Ethiopian kitfo is chopped raw beef served with berbere; Korean yukhoe uses lean raw beef with light seasoning.[2][8][9] If you would rather have it cooked, ask whether the kitchen can do that.
- Oysters on the half shell: most vibriosis comes from eating raw or undercooked shellfish, especially oysters.[10] CDC notes that hot sauce, lemon juice and alcohol do not kill Vibrio, and a contaminated oyster looks, smells and tastes like any other.[11]
- Sushi without raw fish: sushi means vinegared rice, and its toppings can be vegetables or egg as well as raw seafood, so ask for rolls with cooked or vegetable fillings.[5]
Frequently asked questions
What does the asterisk next to a menu item mean?
In the FDA Food Code, the asterisk is the disclosure: it points to a footnote saying the item is served raw or undercooked, or contains or may contain raw or undercooked ingredients. The reminder in that footnote can be the foodborne-illness warning, a version adding "especially if you have certain medical conditions", or a note that written safety information is available on request.[4] State and local governments adopt the model code in their own versions, so the wording varies by place.
Who is advised to avoid raw fish, oysters and tartare?
FDA advises people at greater risk of foodborne illness, including pregnant women, children, older adults and people with weakened immune systems such as those with cancer, diabetes, HIV/AIDS or organ transplants, to avoid raw fish, raw shellfish and raw or undercooked meat and eggs.[12] CDC adds that liver disease, medicine that lowers stomach acid and recent stomach surgery can raise the risk from Vibrio.[10] If any of this applies to you, ask your clinician what is right for you before ordering raw dishes.
Is fish that was frozen first safe to eat raw?
FDA says freezing kills the parasites some fish carry, but it does not kill all harmful germs, so cooking remains the safest route.[7] The FDA Food Code generally requires fish served raw to be frozen at set temperatures and times first, with exceptions such as certain tuna species and some farmed fish.[4] Previously frozen is a safeguard against parasites, not a guarantee.
What should I ask the staff before ordering?
Ask which dishes are raw or undercooked, including plates labeled crudo, tiradito or carpaccio and sauces such as a raw-egg Caesar dressing, which the Food Code uses as an example.[4] Then ask whether a dish can be cooked or swapped, such as seared fish, cooked shrimp or cooked oysters; CDC says cooking oysters properly kills harmful germs.[11]
Related guides
Sources
- Encyclopaedia Britannica. Sashimi. Accessed
- Encyclopaedia Britannica. Steak tartare. Accessed
- Encyclopaedia Britannica. Ceviche. Accessed
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Food Code 2022. Accessed
- Encyclopaedia Britannica. Sushi. Accessed
- Encyclopaedia Britannica. Poke. Accessed
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Selecting and Serving Fresh and Frozen Seafood Safely. Accessed
- Encyclopaedia Britannica. Kitfo. Accessed
- Korean Food Promotion Institute (KFPI). Yukhoe, A Vividly Authentic Taste. Accessed
- U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About Vibrio Infection. Accessed
- U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Vibrio and Oysters. Accessed
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. People at Risk of Foodborne Illness. Accessed