One of the known dangers of eating sushi is the slight possibility of ingesting a parasite. Restaurants freeze their fish in order to kill these lovely little creatures (which can become BIG, 39-foot-long creatures), but all it takes is one that doesn’t get frozen all the way.

The salmon parasite, Diphyllobothrium nihonkaiense, appears to be spreading to regions it hasn’t been seen in before (like North American and Europe), according to a report published in the June issue of Emerging Infectious Diseases.

Additionally, farm-raised salmon in South America has been plagued by a similar parasite. Fun stuff.

Though the chances of getting a tapeworm are pretty slim, it’s probably best to make sure your salmon is cooked. If you do choose to eat raw fish, stick to tuna and other saltwater fish, which aren’t as susceptible as freshwater fish like salmon.

I don’t know, I almost ate a rubber band yesterday at a diner (it was in my spinach pie), so the gross-out bar is set pretty high today, which is saying a lot, since I have a pretty high threshold. Half of me is like, “eh, what’s a tapeworm?” But on the other hand, imagining said tapeworm is pretty unsettling. All part of the adventure of eating outside the home, I suppose…