Is it safe to eat medium rare salmon? (Precautions)
By
Dr Stephen Inbaraj Baskaran (PhD)
| Reviewed by
Dr Stephen Inbaraj Baskaran (PhD)
The contents of this article are fact-based except otherwise stated within the article.
Author bio
Dr Stephen Inbaraj is a Senior Food Researcher who specializes in Food Nanotechnology, Food Quality and Safety, Food Toxin Analysis & Treatment, Food/Agricultural Waste Valorization, Functional Food Development and Biological activity Determination, Green Extraction & Synthesis Methods, and Natural polymers/biopolymers.
Dr. Stephen Inbaraj’s Highlights
– Assistant Professor (Teaching) and Senior Researcher in the Food Science Department of Fu Jen Catholic University (New Taipei City, Taiwan).
– 20 years of research experience and 10 years of teaching experience in the Food Science and Technology field.
– Rated the World’s Top 2% Scientists by Elsevier & Stanford University (https://doi.org/10.17632/btchxktzyw.6).
– Postdoctoral Fellow in several projects in the Food Science Department of Fu Jen Catholic University (New Taipei City, Taiwan).
– PhD, Master, and Bachelor in Chemistry from Bharathidasan University (Tamil Nadu, India).
– Successfully completed many food science and technology projects funded by Indian and Taiwan funding agencies.
Dr. Stephen believes “Every person in the world deserves food – good food – quality and safer food”. With a feed of good food, a person gathers himself to work hard to lead a self-sustainable life in peace and harmony with the family and society. To attain good food, a good feed of knowledge of food science & technology is important. Sharing scientific knowledge in a simple and practical way can enlighten and unify all people to create a healthy society.
Professional Experience
Dr. Stephen Inbaraj has worked on several projects addressing key research gaps in the field of food science and technology. They include,
Analytical method development for quantification of food toxins such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, heterocyclic amines, furan cholesterol oxidation products, toxic metals and dyes.
Food toxin/contaminant removal by using novel and efficient adsorbents including an edible and natural biopolymer poly(γ-glutamic acid), functionalized magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles and waste-derived activated carbon
Isolation and analytical method development for functional/bioactive compounds such as carotenoids, flavonoids, phenolic acids, anthocyanins, ginsenosides, curcuminoids, allyl isothiocyanate and polysaccharides from fruits, vegetables, herbs, spices, and food/agricultural waste byproducts as well as marine peptides.
Nanoencapsulation of functional/bioactive compounds into various nanoformulations such as nanoemulsion, nanoliposome and nanoparticles (gold, cerium oxide, iron oxide nanoparticles).
Evaluation of biological activity of nanoencapsulated functional/bioactive compounds for antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer and antimicrobial activities as well as determination of pharmacokinetic parameters and bioavailability.
Research & Teaching Experience
1998-1999 One-year scholarship in National Tsing Hua University (Hsinchu, Taiwan).
1995-1998 Three scholarships to work on two projects in the Chemistry department of the National Institute of Technology (Tamil Nadu, India).
2001-2003 two-year project scholarship in the Chemistry department of the National Institute of Technology (Tamil Nadu, India).
2003-2004 Indian government Research Associateship in Chemistry department of National Institute of Technology (Tamil Nadu, India).
2002-2004 Worked as a Teaching Assistant at the Master’s level in the Chemistry department of the National Institute of Technology (Tamil Nadu, India).
2004-2017 Worked as a Postdoctoral Fellow on various projects funded by National Science Council (Taiwan), Ministry of Science & Technology (Taiwan) and National Science & Technology Council (Taiwan) in the Food Science department of Fu Jen Catholic University (New Taipei City, Taiwan).
2017-present (1) Assistant Professor (Teaching) in the Food Science department of Fu Jen Catholic University (New Taipei City, Taiwan)
2017-present (2) Senior Researcher in the Food Science department of Fu Jen Catholic University (New Taipei City, Taiwan).
Editorial & Review Experience in Journals
Academic Editor
– European Journal of Cancer Care (https://www.hindawi.com/journals/ejcc/editors/)
– Journal of Clinical Pharmacy & Therapeutics (https://www.hindawi.com/journals/jcpt/editors/)
– Agronomy (https://www.mdpi.com/journal/agronomy/editors?search=Inbaraj)
– Gels (https://www.mdpi.com/journal/gels/topical_advisory_panel)
Associate Guest Editor
– Frontiers in Nutrition https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/41943/valorization-of-food-and-agro-industrial-waste-novel-approaches-and-their-applications
– Associate Guest Editor – Frontiers in Chemistry https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/58227/green-and-sustainable-extraction-techniques-for-bioactives-in-food-plants-pharmaceuticals-and-cosmetics
Guest Editor
– ‘Waste and Biomass Valorization’ journal
https://www.springer.com/journal/12649/updates/25274728
– ‘Journal of Food Processing & Preservation’
https://www.hindawi.com/journals/jfpp/si/635128/
– ‘Starch-Starke’ journal
– ‘Agronomy’ journal
https://www.mdpi.com/journal/agronomy/special_issues/84Q464409C
https://www.mdpi.com/journal/agronomy/special_issues/wate_nanomaterial
– ‘Gels’ Journal
https://www.mdpi.com/journal/gels/special_issues/developments_food_gels
https://www.mdpi.com/journal/gels/special_issues/9R2L833ELB
– ‘Bioengineering’ journals
https://www.mdpi.com/journal/bioengineering/special_issues/NB1D8VR08G
Review Experience
– 2022 Has won the Outstanding Reviewer Award – ‘Foods’ MDPI journal.
– 2023 Has reviewed a total of 302 articles for 47 ‘Elsevier’ journals so far.
– 2023 Has reviewed a total of 162 articles for 30 ‘MDPI’ journals so far.
– 2023 Certified as a Trusted Reviewer of ‘IOP’ publishing journal articles.
Education
2002 PhD in Chemistry, National Institute of Technology, Bharathidasan University (Tamil Nadu, India)
1995 Master in Chemistry, Bishop Heber College, Bharathidasan University (Tamil Nadu, India)
1993 Bachelor in Chemistry, Bishop Heber College, Bharathidasan University (Tamil Nadu, India)
Publications & Citations
Journal Articles – 125
Book Chapters – 12
Conference Papers – 18
Citation on Publications – 5512
H-index – 38
Journal Articles (Some selected journal articles)
Lai, Y.W., Inbaraj, B.S., Chen, B.H. Effects of oil and processing conditions on formation of heterocyclic amines and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in pork fiber. Foods 2023, 12, 3504.
Li, R., Inbaraj, B.S., Chen, B.H. Preparation of xanthone and anthocyanin nanoemulsions from mangosteen peel for studying their inhibition effects on liver cancer cells. International Journal of Molecular Sciences 2023, 24, 3934.
Bains, A., Chawla, P., Inbaraj, B.S. Evaluation of in vitro antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anti-quorum sensing activity of edible mushroom (Agrocybe aegerita). Foods 2023, 12, 3562.
Ahmed, T., Jubayer, M.F., Sharma, M., Sridhar, M., Hoque, M.M., Rana, M.R., Inbaraj, B.S. Effect of taro corm mucilage and black seed oil as edible coatings on the shelf-life and quality of fresh guava, Agronomy 2023, 13, 538.
Kandi, S., Inbaraj, B.S., Chen, B.H. An improved surface enhanced Raman spectroscopic method using a paper-based grape skin-gold nanoparticles/graphene oxide substrate for detection of Rhodamine 6G in water and food. Chemosphere 2022, 301, 134702.
Kaur, S., Sharma, P., Bains, A., Chawla, P., Sridhar, K., Sharma, M., Inbaraj, B.S. Antimicrobial and anti-Inflammatory activity of Low-energy assisted nanohydrogel of Azadirachta indica oil. Gels 2022, 8, 434.
Huang, Y.H., Kao, T.H., Inbaraj, B.S., Chen, B.H. Improved analytical method for determination of furan and its derivatives in commercial foods by HS-SPME arrow combined with gas chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry. Journal of Agricultural & Food Chemistry 2022, 70, 7762-7772.
Inbaraj, B.S.; Hua, L.H., Chen, B.H. Comparative study on inhibition of pancreatic cancer cells by resveratrol gold nanoparticles and a resveratrol nanoemulsion prepared from grape skin. Pharmaceutics 2021, 13, 1871.
Inbaraj, B.S., Sridhar, K., Chen, B.H. Removal of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from water by magnetic activated carbon nanocomposite from green tea waste, Journal of Hazardous Materials 2021, 415, 125701.
Inbaraj, B.S., Chen, B.Y., Liao C.W., Chen, B.H. Green synthesis, characterization and evaluation of catalytic and antibacterial activities of chitosan, glycol chitosan and poly(g-glutamic acid) capped gold nanoparticles, International Journal of Biological Macromolecules 2020, 161, 1484-1495.
Hsu, K.Y., Inbaraj, B.S., Chen, B.H. Evaluation of analysis of cholesterol oxidation products and heterocyclic amines in duck and their formation as affected by roasting methods. Journal of Food & Drug Analysis 2020, 28, 128-142.
Chen, B.H. Inbaraj, B.S. Nanoemulsion and nanoliposome based strategies for improving anthocyanin stability and bioavailability. Nutrients 2019, 11, 1052.
Lu, P.S., Inbaraj, B.S., Chen, B.H. Determination of oral bioavailability of curcuminoid dispersions and nanoemulsions prepared from Curcuma longa Linnaeus. Journal of the Science of Food & Agriculture 2018, 98, 51-63.
Ho, N.H., Inbaraj, B.S., Chen, B.H. Utilization of microemulsions from Rhinacanthus nasutus (L.) Kurz to improve carotenoid bioavailability. Scientific Reports 2016, 6, 25426.
Inbaraj, B.S., Chen, B.H. Nanomaterial-based sensors for detection of foodborne bacterial pathogens and toxins as well as pork adulteration in meat products. Journal of Food & Drug Analysis 2016, 24, 15-28.
Huang, R.F.S., Y.J. Wei, Inbaraj, B.S., Chen, B.H. 2015. Inhibition of colon cancer cell growth by nanoemulsion carrying gold nanoparticle and lycopene. International Journal of Nanomedicine 2015, 10, 2823-2846.
Huang, R.T., Y.F. Lu, Inbaraj, B.S., Chen, B.H. 2015. Determination of phenolic acids and flavonoids in Rhinacanthus nasutus (L.) Kurz by high-performance-liquid-chromatography with photodiode-array-detection and tandem mass spectrometry. Journal of Functional Foods 2015, 12, 498-508.
Loh, C.H., Inbaraj, B.S., Liu, M.H., Chen, B.H. 2012. Determination of chlorophylls in Taraxacum formosanum by high-performance liquid chromatography-diode array detection-mass spectrometry and preparation by column chromatography. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 60: 6108-6115.
Inbaraj, B.S., Chen, B.H. Dye adsorption characteristics of magnetite nanoparticles coated with a biopolymer poly(g-glutamic acid), Bioresource Technology 2011, 102, 8868-8876.
Wang, C.C. Chang, S.C., Inbaraj, B.S., Chen, B.H. Isolation of carotenoids, flavonoids and polysaccharides from Lycium barbarum Linnaeus and evaluation of antioxidant activity, Food Chemistry 2010, 120, 184-192.
Book Chapters (Recent 6 book chapters)
Kashyap, P., Thakur, M., Kalsi, R., Sridhar, K., Sharma, M., Kumar, S., Inbaraj, B.S. (2023) Molecular aspects on anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity of flavonols: Inhibitory on protein targets, immunomodulatory, and anti-inflammatory effects. In “Anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity of flavonoids”, J.T. Chen (Ed.), CRC Press/Taylor & Francis, In Press.
Chen, B.H. & Inbaraj, B.S. (2016). Nanomaterial-based sensors for mycotoxin analysis in food. In “Nanoscience and Food Industry”, A.H. Grumezescu (Ed.), Elsevier, USA, pp. 387-423.
Inbaraj, B.S. & Chen, B.H. (2016). Polysaccharide composition in Chinese dates (Jujubes) and health benefits. In “Chinese Dates (Jujubes): A Traditional Functional Food”, J.Y. Shi (Ed.), CRC Press, Taylor & Francis, USA, pp.177-207.
Chen, B.H. & Inbaraj, B.S. (2014). Poly(g-glutamic acid)-coated superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles. In Dekker Encyclopedia of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, S.E. Lyshevski (Ed.). Third Edition, CRC Press, Taylor and Francis Group, New York, pp 4772-4786.
Inbaraj, B.S. & Chen, B.H. (2012). Isoflavones in foods and ingestion in the diet. In Food and Nutritional Components in Focus – Isoflavones: Chemistry, Analysis, Function and Effects, Chapter 3, V.R. Preedy (Ed.). Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) Publishers, UK, pp. 28-45.
Inbaraj, B.S. & Chen, B.H. (2012). Isoflavone ingestion by multiethnic population: implications for health. In Food and Nutritional Components in Focus – Isoflavones: Chemistry, Analysis, Function and Effects, Chapter 21, V.R. Preedy (Ed.). Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) Publishers, UK, pp. 349-363.
Conference Papers (Recent 7 conference papers)
Lai, Y.W., Inbaraj, B.S., Chen, B.H. Inhibition mechanism of lung cancer cells by various nanoformulations prepared from Taiwan tilapia skin. International Conference on Materials Science, Engineering & Technology, Singapore, September 7-9, 2023.
Huang, R.S., W.J. Wei, Inbaraj, B.S. Chen, B.H. Inhibition mechanism of gold-lycopene nanoemulsion on colon cancer cell through passive targeting. 11th Cross-Strait Workshop on Nanoscience & Technology, Hong Kong. Dec. 14-17, 2014.
Chen, Y.J., Inbaraj, B.S., Pu, Y.S., Chen, B.H. Development of lycopene micelle and lycopene chylomicron and comparison of bioavailability. World Gene Convention, Haikou, China, Nov. 13, 2013.
Sureshbabu, K., M. Anandkumar, T.Y. Tsai, T.H. Kao, Inbaraj, B.S., Chen, B.H. Cytotoxicity and antibacterial activity of gold decorated cerium oxide nanoparticles. Materials Science & Technology Conference, Quebec, Canada, October 27-31, 2013.
Chen, B.H., Inbaraj, B.S. Synthesis, characterization and toxic metal-binding ability of poly(γ-glutamic acid)-coated superparamagnetic nanoparticles. Nanotech Conference & Expo 2012, Santa Clara, California, USA, June 18-21 2012.
Inbaraj, B.S., Chen, B.H. Color and metal removal characteristics of magnetic nanoparticles coated with a biopolymer poly(γ-glutamic acid). 9th Taiwan/ U.S. Air Force Nanoscience Workshop, Kenting, Taiwan, April 16–19, 2012.
Inbaraj, B.S., Chen, B.H. Synthesis and characterization of poly(γ-glutamic acid)-coated magnetite nanoparticles and their effects on antibacterial activity and cytotoxicity. Second World Conference on Nanomedicine and Drug Delivery, Kerala, India, March 11-13, 2011.
Professional Profiles
https://scholar.google.co.uk/citations?hl=en&user=W0lDtyQAAAAJ
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/B-Inbaraj-2
https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=57130902200
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4301-7614
https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephen-inbaraj-baskaran-a16635298/
Reviewer bio
Dr Stephen Inbaraj is a Senior Food Researcher who specializes in Food Nanotechnology, Food Quality and Safety, Food Toxin Analysis & Treatment, Food/Agricultural Waste Valorization, Functional Food Development and Biological activity Determination, Green Extraction & Synthesis Methods, and Natural polymers/biopolymers.
Dr. Stephen Inbaraj’s Highlights
– Assistant Professor (Teaching) and Senior Researcher in the Food Science Department of Fu Jen Catholic University (New Taipei City, Taiwan).
– 20 years of research experience and 10 years of teaching experience in the Food Science and Technology field.
– Rated the World’s Top 2% Scientists by Elsevier & Stanford University (https://doi.org/10.17632/btchxktzyw.6).
– Postdoctoral Fellow in several projects in the Food Science Department of Fu Jen Catholic University (New Taipei City, Taiwan).
– PhD, Master, and Bachelor in Chemistry from Bharathidasan University (Tamil Nadu, India).
– Successfully completed many food science and technology projects funded by Indian and Taiwan funding agencies.
Dr. Stephen believes “Every person in the world deserves food – good food – quality and safer food”. With a feed of good food, a person gathers himself to work hard to lead a self-sustainable life in peace and harmony with the family and society. To attain good food, a good feed of knowledge of food science & technology is important. Sharing scientific knowledge in a simple and practical way can enlighten and unify all people to create a healthy society.
Professional Experience
Dr. Stephen Inbaraj has worked on several projects addressing key research gaps in the field of food science and technology. They include,
Analytical method development for quantification of food toxins such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, heterocyclic amines, furan cholesterol oxidation products, toxic metals and dyes.
Food toxin/contaminant removal by using novel and efficient adsorbents including an edible and natural biopolymer poly(γ-glutamic acid), functionalized magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles and waste-derived activated carbon
Isolation and analytical method development for functional/bioactive compounds such as carotenoids, flavonoids, phenolic acids, anthocyanins, ginsenosides, curcuminoids, allyl isothiocyanate and polysaccharides from fruits, vegetables, herbs, spices, and food/agricultural waste byproducts as well as marine peptides.
Nanoencapsulation of functional/bioactive compounds into various nanoformulations such as nanoemulsion, nanoliposome and nanoparticles (gold, cerium oxide, iron oxide nanoparticles).
Evaluation of biological activity of nanoencapsulated functional/bioactive compounds for antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer and antimicrobial activities as well as determination of pharmacokinetic parameters and bioavailability.
Research & Teaching Experience
1998-1999 One-year scholarship in National Tsing Hua University (Hsinchu, Taiwan).
1995-1998 Three scholarships to work on two projects in the Chemistry department of the National Institute of Technology (Tamil Nadu, India).
2001-2003 two-year project scholarship in the Chemistry department of the National Institute of Technology (Tamil Nadu, India).
2003-2004 Indian government Research Associateship in Chemistry department of National Institute of Technology (Tamil Nadu, India).
2002-2004 Worked as a Teaching Assistant at the Master’s level in the Chemistry department of the National Institute of Technology (Tamil Nadu, India).
2004-2017 Worked as a Postdoctoral Fellow on various projects funded by National Science Council (Taiwan), Ministry of Science & Technology (Taiwan) and National Science & Technology Council (Taiwan) in the Food Science department of Fu Jen Catholic University (New Taipei City, Taiwan).
2017-present (1) Assistant Professor (Teaching) in the Food Science department of Fu Jen Catholic University (New Taipei City, Taiwan)
2017-present (2) Senior Researcher in the Food Science department of Fu Jen Catholic University (New Taipei City, Taiwan).
Editorial & Review Experience in Journals
Academic Editor
– European Journal of Cancer Care (https://www.hindawi.com/journals/ejcc/editors/)
– Journal of Clinical Pharmacy & Therapeutics (https://www.hindawi.com/journals/jcpt/editors/)
– Agronomy (https://www.mdpi.com/journal/agronomy/editors?search=Inbaraj)
– Gels (https://www.mdpi.com/journal/gels/topical_advisory_panel)
Associate Guest Editor
– Frontiers in Nutrition https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/41943/valorization-of-food-and-agro-industrial-waste-novel-approaches-and-their-applications
– Associate Guest Editor – Frontiers in Chemistry https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/58227/green-and-sustainable-extraction-techniques-for-bioactives-in-food-plants-pharmaceuticals-and-cosmetics
Guest Editor
– ‘Waste and Biomass Valorization’ journal
https://www.springer.com/journal/12649/updates/25274728
– ‘Journal of Food Processing & Preservation’
https://www.hindawi.com/journals/jfpp/si/635128/
– ‘Starch-Starke’ journal
– ‘Agronomy’ journal
https://www.mdpi.com/journal/agronomy/special_issues/84Q464409C
https://www.mdpi.com/journal/agronomy/special_issues/wate_nanomaterial
– ‘Gels’ Journal
https://www.mdpi.com/journal/gels/special_issues/developments_food_gels
https://www.mdpi.com/journal/gels/special_issues/9R2L833ELB
– ‘Bioengineering’ journals
https://www.mdpi.com/journal/bioengineering/special_issues/NB1D8VR08G
Review Experience
– 2022 Has won the Outstanding Reviewer Award – ‘Foods’ MDPI journal.
– 2023 Has reviewed a total of 302 articles for 47 ‘Elsevier’ journals so far.
– 2023 Has reviewed a total of 162 articles for 30 ‘MDPI’ journals so far.
– 2023 Certified as a Trusted Reviewer of ‘IOP’ publishing journal articles.
Education
2002 PhD in Chemistry, National Institute of Technology, Bharathidasan University (Tamil Nadu, India)
1995 Master in Chemistry, Bishop Heber College, Bharathidasan University (Tamil Nadu, India)
1993 Bachelor in Chemistry, Bishop Heber College, Bharathidasan University (Tamil Nadu, India)
Publications & Citations
Journal Articles – 125
Book Chapters – 12
Conference Papers – 18
Citation on Publications – 5512
H-index – 38
Journal Articles (Some selected journal articles)
Lai, Y.W., Inbaraj, B.S., Chen, B.H. Effects of oil and processing conditions on formation of heterocyclic amines and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in pork fiber. Foods 2023, 12, 3504.
Li, R., Inbaraj, B.S., Chen, B.H. Preparation of xanthone and anthocyanin nanoemulsions from mangosteen peel for studying their inhibition effects on liver cancer cells. International Journal of Molecular Sciences 2023, 24, 3934.
Bains, A., Chawla, P., Inbaraj, B.S. Evaluation of in vitro antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anti-quorum sensing activity of edible mushroom (Agrocybe aegerita). Foods 2023, 12, 3562.
Ahmed, T., Jubayer, M.F., Sharma, M., Sridhar, M., Hoque, M.M., Rana, M.R., Inbaraj, B.S. Effect of taro corm mucilage and black seed oil as edible coatings on the shelf-life and quality of fresh guava, Agronomy 2023, 13, 538.
Kandi, S., Inbaraj, B.S., Chen, B.H. An improved surface enhanced Raman spectroscopic method using a paper-based grape skin-gold nanoparticles/graphene oxide substrate for detection of Rhodamine 6G in water and food. Chemosphere 2022, 301, 134702.
Kaur, S., Sharma, P., Bains, A., Chawla, P., Sridhar, K., Sharma, M., Inbaraj, B.S. Antimicrobial and anti-Inflammatory activity of Low-energy assisted nanohydrogel of Azadirachta indica oil. Gels 2022, 8, 434.
Huang, Y.H., Kao, T.H., Inbaraj, B.S., Chen, B.H. Improved analytical method for determination of furan and its derivatives in commercial foods by HS-SPME arrow combined with gas chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry. Journal of Agricultural & Food Chemistry 2022, 70, 7762-7772.
Inbaraj, B.S.; Hua, L.H., Chen, B.H. Comparative study on inhibition of pancreatic cancer cells by resveratrol gold nanoparticles and a resveratrol nanoemulsion prepared from grape skin. Pharmaceutics 2021, 13, 1871.
Inbaraj, B.S., Sridhar, K., Chen, B.H. Removal of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from water by magnetic activated carbon nanocomposite from green tea waste, Journal of Hazardous Materials 2021, 415, 125701.
Inbaraj, B.S., Chen, B.Y., Liao C.W., Chen, B.H. Green synthesis, characterization and evaluation of catalytic and antibacterial activities of chitosan, glycol chitosan and poly(g-glutamic acid) capped gold nanoparticles, International Journal of Biological Macromolecules 2020, 161, 1484-1495.
Hsu, K.Y., Inbaraj, B.S., Chen, B.H. Evaluation of analysis of cholesterol oxidation products and heterocyclic amines in duck and their formation as affected by roasting methods. Journal of Food & Drug Analysis 2020, 28, 128-142.
Chen, B.H. Inbaraj, B.S. Nanoemulsion and nanoliposome based strategies for improving anthocyanin stability and bioavailability. Nutrients 2019, 11, 1052.
Lu, P.S., Inbaraj, B.S., Chen, B.H. Determination of oral bioavailability of curcuminoid dispersions and nanoemulsions prepared from Curcuma longa Linnaeus. Journal of the Science of Food & Agriculture 2018, 98, 51-63.
Ho, N.H., Inbaraj, B.S., Chen, B.H. Utilization of microemulsions from Rhinacanthus nasutus (L.) Kurz to improve carotenoid bioavailability. Scientific Reports 2016, 6, 25426.
Inbaraj, B.S., Chen, B.H. Nanomaterial-based sensors for detection of foodborne bacterial pathogens and toxins as well as pork adulteration in meat products. Journal of Food & Drug Analysis 2016, 24, 15-28.
Huang, R.F.S., Y.J. Wei, Inbaraj, B.S., Chen, B.H. 2015. Inhibition of colon cancer cell growth by nanoemulsion carrying gold nanoparticle and lycopene. International Journal of Nanomedicine 2015, 10, 2823-2846.
Huang, R.T., Y.F. Lu, Inbaraj, B.S., Chen, B.H. 2015. Determination of phenolic acids and flavonoids in Rhinacanthus nasutus (L.) Kurz by high-performance-liquid-chromatography with photodiode-array-detection and tandem mass spectrometry. Journal of Functional Foods 2015, 12, 498-508.
Loh, C.H., Inbaraj, B.S., Liu, M.H., Chen, B.H. 2012. Determination of chlorophylls in Taraxacum formosanum by high-performance liquid chromatography-diode array detection-mass spectrometry and preparation by column chromatography. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 60: 6108-6115.
Inbaraj, B.S., Chen, B.H. Dye adsorption characteristics of magnetite nanoparticles coated with a biopolymer poly(g-glutamic acid), Bioresource Technology 2011, 102, 8868-8876.
Wang, C.C. Chang, S.C., Inbaraj, B.S., Chen, B.H. Isolation of carotenoids, flavonoids and polysaccharides from Lycium barbarum Linnaeus and evaluation of antioxidant activity, Food Chemistry 2010, 120, 184-192.
Book Chapters (Recent 6 book chapters)
Kashyap, P., Thakur, M., Kalsi, R., Sridhar, K., Sharma, M., Kumar, S., Inbaraj, B.S. (2023) Molecular aspects on anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity of flavonols: Inhibitory on protein targets, immunomodulatory, and anti-inflammatory effects. In “Anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity of flavonoids”, J.T. Chen (Ed.), CRC Press/Taylor & Francis, In Press.
Chen, B.H. & Inbaraj, B.S. (2016). Nanomaterial-based sensors for mycotoxin analysis in food. In “Nanoscience and Food Industry”, A.H. Grumezescu (Ed.), Elsevier, USA, pp. 387-423.
Inbaraj, B.S. & Chen, B.H. (2016). Polysaccharide composition in Chinese dates (Jujubes) and health benefits. In “Chinese Dates (Jujubes): A Traditional Functional Food”, J.Y. Shi (Ed.), CRC Press, Taylor & Francis, USA, pp.177-207.
Chen, B.H. & Inbaraj, B.S. (2014). Poly(g-glutamic acid)-coated superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles. In Dekker Encyclopedia of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, S.E. Lyshevski (Ed.). Third Edition, CRC Press, Taylor and Francis Group, New York, pp 4772-4786.
Inbaraj, B.S. & Chen, B.H. (2012). Isoflavones in foods and ingestion in the diet. In Food and Nutritional Components in Focus – Isoflavones: Chemistry, Analysis, Function and Effects, Chapter 3, V.R. Preedy (Ed.). Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) Publishers, UK, pp. 28-45.
Inbaraj, B.S. & Chen, B.H. (2012). Isoflavone ingestion by multiethnic population: implications for health. In Food and Nutritional Components in Focus – Isoflavones: Chemistry, Analysis, Function and Effects, Chapter 21, V.R. Preedy (Ed.). Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) Publishers, UK, pp. 349-363.
Conference Papers (Recent 7 conference papers)
Lai, Y.W., Inbaraj, B.S., Chen, B.H. Inhibition mechanism of lung cancer cells by various nanoformulations prepared from Taiwan tilapia skin. International Conference on Materials Science, Engineering & Technology, Singapore, September 7-9, 2023.
Huang, R.S., W.J. Wei, Inbaraj, B.S. Chen, B.H. Inhibition mechanism of gold-lycopene nanoemulsion on colon cancer cell through passive targeting. 11th Cross-Strait Workshop on Nanoscience & Technology, Hong Kong. Dec. 14-17, 2014.
Chen, Y.J., Inbaraj, B.S., Pu, Y.S., Chen, B.H. Development of lycopene micelle and lycopene chylomicron and comparison of bioavailability. World Gene Convention, Haikou, China, Nov. 13, 2013.
Sureshbabu, K., M. Anandkumar, T.Y. Tsai, T.H. Kao, Inbaraj, B.S., Chen, B.H. Cytotoxicity and antibacterial activity of gold decorated cerium oxide nanoparticles. Materials Science & Technology Conference, Quebec, Canada, October 27-31, 2013.
Chen, B.H., Inbaraj, B.S. Synthesis, characterization and toxic metal-binding ability of poly(γ-glutamic acid)-coated superparamagnetic nanoparticles. Nanotech Conference & Expo 2012, Santa Clara, California, USA, June 18-21 2012.
Inbaraj, B.S., Chen, B.H. Color and metal removal characteristics of magnetic nanoparticles coated with a biopolymer poly(γ-glutamic acid). 9th Taiwan/ U.S. Air Force Nanoscience Workshop, Kenting, Taiwan, April 16–19, 2012.
Inbaraj, B.S., Chen, B.H. Synthesis and characterization of poly(γ-glutamic acid)-coated magnetite nanoparticles and their effects on antibacterial activity and cytotoxicity. Second World Conference on Nanomedicine and Drug Delivery, Kerala, India, March 11-13, 2011.
Professional Profiles
https://scholar.google.co.uk/citations?hl=en&user=W0lDtyQAAAAJ
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/B-Inbaraj-2
https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=57130902200
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4301-7614
https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephen-inbaraj-baskaran-a16635298/
In this article, we will explore whether medium rare salmon is safe to eat by discussing the different levels of doneness of salmon, the reasons for most people preferring medium rare salmon, the precautions to safely eat medium rare salmon, and the risks associated with consuming medium rare salmon prepared with improper handling practices.
Medium rare salmon is one among the five levels of doneness during the cooking of salmon and is the most preferred salmon doneness because of its pink appearance, flavour, and texture. But, from the safety point of view, some precautions are necessary to avoid health risks.
Is it safe to eat medium rare salmon?
No, it is not safe to eat medium rare salmon. Because the internal temperature used to cook medium rare salmon (115-125F/46-42C) is in the temperature range (40-140F/4-60C) in which foodborne parasites and microorganisms can thrive (1,2).
A safe internal cooking temperature of 145F (63C) is recommended for complete killing of parasites and microorganisms in salmon (3,4,5,6).
However, properly handled salmon that is previously frozen for at least 7 days (-4F/-20C) and properly thawed is safe to eat after cooking at all levels of doneness and even raw (3,7).
What are the different levels of doneness of salmon?
Salmon is consumed at five different levels of doneness to enjoy different appetizing looks, flavours, and textures as shown in the table below:
| Level of doneness | Cooking temperature | Appearance, flavour, and texture |
| Rare | 110-115F (43-46C) | Translucent, soft, and uncooked in the middle with a deep pink colour and less flavour. |
| Medium rare | 115-125F (46-52C) | Slightly translucent, soft, moist, pink-coloured, and undercooked in the middle. |
| Medium | 125-135F (52-57C) | Mostly opaque, moist, and better cooked in the middle with enhanced flakiness and flavour. |
| Medium well | 135-140F (57-60C) | Opaque, less moist, and mostly cooked in the middle with enhanced flavour and light pink colour. |
| Well done | 140-145F (60-63C) | Opaque, slightly juicy, firm, and well-cooked with good flavour and little or no pink colour. |
Why is medium rare salmon preferred by most people?
Regardless of its safety, medium rate salmon is preferred by most people including chefs globally. This is mainly because of its appetizing pink colour with slightly translucent, tender, and slightly cooked in the middle offering perfect texture to cut and eat.
On the other hand, salmon with other levels of doneness including medium, medium well, and well done is less preferred due to gradual loss in pink colour, translucency, tenderness, juiciness, and soft texture, while the rare salmon is less preferred because of the uncooked middle part despite its deep pink colour, translucency, and tenderness.
Is medium rare doneness safe for properly handled salmon?
Yes, properly handled salmon with medium rare doneness is safe, but you should be cautious to ensure that medium rare salmon is prepared with properly handled salmon (3,7). For instance, salmon with ‘sushi’ or ‘sashimi’ grade is safe as it is previously processed with proper handling practices to attain food safety.
Among the proper handling practices, the most critical one is to freeze and store under the following conditions before eating raw or cooked salmon (8):
| Storage temperature | Storage time |
| Freezing and storing at -4F (-20C) | 7 days |
| Freezing at -31F (-35C) and storing at -4F (-20C) | 24 hours |
| Freezing at -31F (-35C) and storing at -31F (-35C) | 15 hours |
What are the proper handling practices of salmon?
The proper handling practices are based on a four-letter short form “CSCC” indicating “Clean, Separate, Cook, Chill” accompanied by the following description (9,10,11):
| Proper handling practice | Description |
| Clean |
|
|
Separate |
|
| Cook |
|
| Chill |
|
What are the risks of eating improperly handled salmon?
When it comes to taste or safety, always choose safety. If you are unsure of the proper handling of salmon, then your best bet should be to eat fully cooked well-done salmon.
You should be aware that eating raw and undercooked salmon prepared with improperly handled salmon can result in food poisoning due to harmful foodborne parasites and microorganisms (1,2,3,4,7).
Symptoms of food poisoning include stomach discomfort, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, fever, and weight loss along with consumed parasites causing serious illness over a long time (1,9).
Conclusion
In this article, we have answered the question “Is it safe to eat medium rare salmon?” by elaborating on different levels of salmon doneness, people’s desire and conviction to eat medium rare salmon, precautionary measures to safely consume medium rare salmon, and the possible risks and health symptoms in people consuming improperly handled medium rate salmon. As a food scientist, I suggest that salmon should be consumed by all for its high nutritional value, but with proper precautions to enjoy this fulfilling diet.
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References
1.-
USDA, Foodborne Illness and Disease, Food Safety and Inspection Service, United States Department of Agriculture, 2020.
2.-
USDA, Appliance Thermometers, Food Safety and Inspection Service, United States Department of Agriculture, 2013.
3.-
USFDA, Selecting and Serving Fresh and Frozen Seafood Safely, United States Food and Drug Administration, 2022.
4.-
CDC, Safer Food Choices for Pregnant People – Help Prevent Food Poisoning, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2023.
5.-
Brookmire L, Mallikarjunan P, Jahncke M, Grisso R. Optimum cooking conditions for shrimp and Atlantic salmon. J Food Sci. 2013;78(2):S303-13.
6.-
Głuchowski A, Czarniecka-Skubina E, Wasiak-Zys G, Nowak D. Effect of various cooking methods on technological and sensory quality of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar). Foods. 2019;8(8):323.
7.-
USDA, Freezing and Food Safety, Food Safety and Inspection Service, United States Department of Agriculture, 2013.
8.-
USFDA, Chapter-5: Parasites, Fish and Fishery Products Hazards and Controls Guidance, United States Food and Drug Administration, 2011, pp.91-98.
9.-
USFDA, Safe Food Handling, United States Food and Drug Administration, 2023.https://www.fda.gov/food/buy-store-serve-safe-food/safe-food-handling
10.-
USDA, Keep Food Safe! Food Safety Basics, Food Safety and Inspection Service, United States Department of Agriculture, 2016.
11.-
WHO, Promoting safe food handling, World Health Organization, 2023.