Absence of anisakid larvae in farmed European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax L.) and gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata L.) in Southeast Spain

Abstract

In the present study, a total of 871 farmed fish, 612 gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata L.) and 259 European sea bass (Dicentrarchux labrax L.), were examined for the presence of anisakid larvae. Two diagnostic methods were applied, visual inspection and artificial digestion based on the degradation of fish soft tissue in an acidified pepsin enzyme solution. None of the samples examined in this study contained any anisakid parasite. The results suggest that consumption of these farmed fish species carries a minimal risk of exposure to these nematodes in this region.