There’s No True Definition of Sushi and Sashimi Quality

While few foods can rival a sliver of raw fish, home cooks want to know if seafood is safe to eat like that. You’ve probably been told that you just need to buy some “sushi-grade” fish, and while walking through a fancy supermarket you might have seen the popular types of fish for sushi labeled Sake, Amaebi, Hotate, etc., to really drive home that it’s truly sushi and sashimi quality fish that you’re buying. Unlike beef, did you know there’s no governing body that grades fish that way? In fact, the term “sushi or sashimi grade” means nothing and has little significance with respect to actually being able to safely consume raw fish. At some markets, the term “sushi grade” might be nothing more than marketing buzzwords.

Organic Ocean’s Definition of Sushi and Sashimi Quality

If sushi and sashimi quality are just marketing buzzwords, you might be asking, “How do you know if fish is safe for sushi?” The Canadian Food Inspection Agency provides guidelines that outline processes for handling seafood meant for raw consumption. These guidelines provide the period of time and the temperature at which fish needs to be frozen prior to raw consumption. Suffice to say, these temperatures are well below the temperature a home freezer can reliably produce. The label of “sushi and sashimi grade or quality” is only as trustworthy as the place selling it to you. This is why it’s advisable to buy from Organic Ocean, because we’ve defined what it means to us. When you purchase sushi grade fish and seafood from Organic Ocean, it lets you know the product has been handled and frozen according to such guidelines for raw consumption. 

What Fish is Best for Sushi and Sashimi?

The top candidates for sushi and sashimi are wild fish which have been handled to minimize bruising of the flesh. Organic Ocean is not your typical fish market and you won't find shops out there that treat their fish better which is why the flesh of our sushi and sashimi quality fish is both visibly and texturally different - a little darker, a little firmer, drier in the mouth, with a more pronounced flavour. We’ve curated a Sushi and Sashimi collection to make shopping even easier.

Chef’s Tips for Sushi and Sashimi 

Need ideas for what to do with your raw fish? You could serve it as sashimi, thinly sliced, with a little soy and wasabi, or even try some yuzu kosho. For rolls and nigiri, check out our chef tips for making sushi rice at home.