Texas Woman Buys Salmon From H-E-B. Then She Pokes It With a Fork and Something Starts Moving

An H-E-B shopper was alarmed when she found, upon closer inspection, that the piece of raw salmon she had bought at the supermarket chain appeared to be covered in small white parasites wriggling around.

The customer, Andrea (@brownsknbeauty), decided to film what she was looking at and posted the video to TikTok, where it got over 86,600 views.

“I went to H-E-B for wild-caught salmon, and the saxophone got louder,” she says, referencing the viral TikTok trend.

She then places her fork near one of the parasites, at which point it starts moving. At least two others appear to be visible on the surface of the salmon fillet.

“I think I’m done with seafood for a while,” she wrote in the video’s caption. “Be aware if you shop at HEB.”

How Big Of A Red Flag Are Parasites In Salmon?

This type of close-up video, in which someone finds visible parasites on a piece of salmon, is pretty common on TikTok. It is especially common with fish that have not been frozen, or fish labeled “wild caught.”

That is because freezing typically kills parasites, which is why people may be more likely to notice them in fresh fish.

It looks disgusting. But according to experts, it is also not unheard of.

Martin Bucknavage, a senior food safety extension associate at Pennsylvania State University, told SELF that the tiny creatures in this type of video are often anisakis worms. Anisakis is a type of roundworm that infects marine animals in cold ocean waters.

The health complication tied to the parasite is called anisakiasis, an infection caused by the roundworm. However, it is rare. Around 20,000 cases are reported worldwide each year, and it is more common in countries where raw fish is frequently consumed, such as Japan and parts of Western Europe.

However, cooking the fish makes it safe to eat most of the time.

If you cook the salmon properly, the risk essentially disappears, even if the raw fillet looks unsightly to begin with. For fish eaten raw, freezing it beforehand usually makes it much safer for consumption.

How Did H-E-B Respond?

In the comments, the official TikTok account for H-E-B responded to Andrea.

“Please know we are sorry for the quality and inconvenience!” the account wrote. “We understand if you don’t have the product anymore and threw it out. But our Business Center Partners will still be able to assist with a refund and follow up with our Seafood dept.”

Other commenters said the discovery was gross, but not necessarily unusual for wild-caught fish.

“This is relatively normal for fresh wild caught fish,” one commenter wrote.

Another viewer said H-E-B was not necessarily at fault.

“It wild caught salmon,” they wrote. “Read up on it and you’ll see that it’s not uncommon. It’s not HEB’s fault.”

@brownsknbeauty I think I’m done with seafood for a while. Be aware if you shop at HEB. @H-E-B #heb #houstontexas ♬ original sound – Shan Da baddest

The Mary Sue has reached out to Andrea via TikTok messages and H-E-B via email for comment.

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