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Ahead of Australian Food Safety Week, Nov. 7 to 14, 2026, with the theme "Raw food know the risk," the Food Safety Information Council has released new research showing 60% of Aussies consume raw fish or seafood, and 17% do so at least once a week.

Associate Professor Julian Cox, council scientific director, said that fish and seafood are an important part of a nutritious diet and we should be consuming two to three servings each week. But seafood can pose food safety risks. Time-temperature abuse can raise the risk of several food poisoning hazards, including bacteria like Vibrio parahaemolyticus and Vibrio vulnificus, and scombroid poisoning from fish such as tuna and mackerel (among others).

Other hazards include a range of shellfish toxins and ciguatera poisoning, associated with predatory fish such as Spanish mackerel, barracuda and grouper. Consumers should also avoid excessive intake of shark (flake) due to concerns about mercury.

But we now also know that seafood can be a risk when it comes to parasites, especially when consumed raw. Like any raw food, raw fish dishes such as sushi, sashimi and ceviche can pose food safety risks, including risks from parasites.

"Our research showed that 68% of those surveyed usually bought their raw fish dishes from a sushi bar, 40% from a cafe or restaurant and 32% premade from a supermarket or fishmonger.

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