Is Costco Salmon Good Enough To Use In Raw Sushi?

From weeknight rotisserie dinners to perfect pizza slices, Costco knows how to provide the makings of a satisfying meal. That being said, the warehouse chain's seafood section can be a hit or miss. If you're interested in using Costco's salmon cuts for a raw sushi dish, you might want to consider what makes certain seafood safe to eat raw (and others not).

Although Costco doesn't directly advertise its salmon as being great for use in sushi rolls, the Atlantic fish is, in fact, safe to eat this way. The best way to back this claim up is to consider what it means for fish of any kind to be labeled as "sushi-grade." The U.S. Food and Drug Administration doesn't officially regulate or use the term sushi-grade, but it does provide some guidelines for serving fresh or frozen seafood safely.

Some of those guidelines include flash freezing raw fish at certain temperatures to help ensure the elimination of any parasites the fish may have picked up prior to being caught. Some types of seafood are more at risk of containing parasites than others. For example, freshwater fish like cod are more susceptible to broad fish tapeworms, something farmed salmon (like the ones sold at Costco) doesn't have to deal with. Let's take a closer look at the salmon Costco sells and why it's okay to serve at your next sushi roll-making party.

As previously mentioned, there's no official law that regulates whether or not seafood can be labeled sushi-grade. But for the most part, fish that's labeled this way is considered the highest possible quality and has been put through certain processes (flash freezing, typically) which kill any potential parasites that might be hiding inside.

Costco's Atlantic salmon, for example, is labeled as a product of Norway that's raised without antibiotics and is frozen. Norwegian salmon is raised and caught in extremely cold temperatures which helps ensure the fish don't pick up parasites. The salmon is caught and handled quickly to maintain the highest quality possible.

While all this means Costco's salmon is of high quality, it doesn't necessarily mean you should eat the center cuts raw. As with any raw seafood, whether it's in a dish like ceviche (which "cooks" the fish in citrus juice) or over a bit of rice in a sushi roll, there will always be some risk. 

Costco's salmon isn't explicitly labeled as sushi-grade. And although that label is admittedly a bit arbitrary, it at least means a seafood product was produced with the idea it might be eaten raw in mind. Costco doesn't label its salmon this way. So, yes you could use Costco salmon to make sushi, but a safer choice might be to just buy the warehouse chain's premade sushi (despite the mixed reviews).