Parasite Destruction Freezing for Fish Served Raw

Cooking is not the only control for parasites in fish served raw or partially cooked. The Food Code model requires specified fish to be frozen using one of the listed time-and-temperature combinations, unless the product or source meets an exception. Because the Food Code is a model adopted by jurisdictions, a manager must also check the local code and regulator’s requirements.

Know the three model freezing schedules

• Freeze and store at −20°F (−29°C) or below for 7 days.
• Freeze at −31°F (−35°C) or below until solid, then store at that temperature for 15 hours.
• Freeze at −31°F (−35°C) or below until solid, then store at −4°F (−20°C) or below for 24 hours.

These are distinct approved schedules; do not combine pieces of different schedules or substitute an ordinary freezer setting without verifying the actual product temperature and required holding time. The Food Code lists exceptions, including certain qualifying aquacultured fish raised and fed under controlled conditions and certain tuna species. The exception needs supporting documentation when required; a menu description alone is not proof.

Keep records tied to the fish served

For fish subjected to freezing, the person in charge records the freezing temperature and time and retains the records for 90 calendar days beyond the date the fish is served or sold. Supplier documentation may support an applicable exception. Keep invoices and identity information that connect the records to the fish product on the menu, and make records available to the regulator when required.

Exam traps

• Assuming every fish species has the same parasite risk or every product qualifies for an exception.
• Remembering the time but not the required temperature.
• Discarding records on the day the fish is sold instead of retaining them for the post-service period.
• Treating FDA’s model code as automatically adopted law in every state or locality.

Key takeaway

For raw fish, learn the qualifying freezing schedule, verify any exception with records, and retain process documentation for the required period. Always confirm the rule adopted by the local jurisdiction.

Use the model schedules exactly The FDA Food Code 2026 lists three parasite-destruction options for applicable fish served raw or ready-to-eat: hold at −4°F (−20°C) or below for 7 days; freeze at −31°F (−35°C) or below until solid, then store at that temperature for at least 15 hours; or freeze at −31°F until solid, then store at −4°F or below for at least 24 hours. The product must reach the specified temperature; a freezer display setting does not prove that every fish portion achieved it. Do not shorten a schedule because the fish is thin, previously frozen, or “sushi grade.” That phrase alone is not one of the Food Code exceptions.

Use a supplier’s written documentation when fish arrives already frozen under a qualifying schedule. The supplier statement or agreement must identify that the fish was frozen to one of the required temperatures and for the required duration. Keep it linked to the product and lot so the PIC can demonstrate which menu item it covers. If the establishment performs freezing, record the fish, time, and actual freezing conditions. Retain records for 90 calendar days beyond the sale or service of the fish. A delivery invoice without the freezing statement does not replace the required evidence.

Know the exceptions and what proves them The model exceptions include molluscan shellfish, scallop product consisting only of the shucked adductor muscle, specified tuna species, certain aquacultured fish raised and fed under defined conditions, and fish eggs removed from the skein and rinsed. For aquacultured fish, the relevant facts include whether it was raised in net pens or land-based systems and whether the feed contained no live parasites infective to that fish. Obtain the required supplier or aquaculturist statement; a salesperson’s verbal assurance or a menu label is not adequate substantiation.

Parasite destruction is distinct from pathogen controls. Freezing does not make contaminated fish sterile, does not correct temperature abuse, and does not replace approved sourcing, cold holding, employee hygiene, or protection from raw-to-ready cross-contamination. A consumer advisory may still be required when animal foods are served raw or undercooked, even if a parasite-freezing schedule was met. Apply the advisory and disclosure rules in the adopted local code.

Scenario: supplier calls it “sushi grade” A delivery of salmon is labeled “sushi grade,” but no freezing record or aquaculture statement is available. Hold the product from raw service and contact the supplier for documentation identifying the applicable freezing schedule or qualifying farm-raising/feed conditions. If documentation cannot be obtained, do not serve it raw; choose a menu item that will be adequately cooked or use verified product. If it has already been served, notify the PIC and follow local health-department direction, preserving labels and records.

Exam traps and local rules Do not mix schedules—for example, one day at −31°F and six days at −4°F—unless the Code’s exact schedule covers that process. Do not confuse frozen storage time with the time to freeze the fish until solid. The Food Code is a model rather than a national retail statute; a state may use different language or impose additional requirements. Follow the adopted code and any seafood-specific variance or regulator approval.

Make a lot-level record that can be retrieved A complete record should identify the fish species or product, supplier or source, lot or shipment, which freezing schedule was used, the product temperature, the required holding period, and the completion date. A digital record is acceptable only if it remains accessible and clearly linked to the fish served. If a single freezer holds multiple products, identify which batches were inside and when each reached the required temperature; the freezer display alone may not demonstrate that a fish product was frozen solid first for the shorter options.

A supplier statement must remain connected to the shipment through receiving and menu preparation. When a menu switches supplier, recheck the documentation rather than assuming the old statement applies. If proof is absent, treat raw service as unavailable until records are corrected or the product will be cooked.

If the supplier freezes fish, retain its written agreement or statement that identifies the required schedule; under the FDA model this can substitute for the establishment's own freezing record. A general product specification that says “previously frozen” does not demonstrate a parasite-destruction schedule.

If documentation is missing, do not infer a valid exception from species name or supplier reputation; obtain written evidence or cook the fish.