Is Parisa safe to eat? (Dangers of raw meat)

In this brief guide, we will answer the question, “Is Parisa safe to eat?” and discuss whether eating raw meat causes Salmonellosis and what methods can improve food safety for Parisa.

Is Parisa safe to eat?

No, Parisa is not a particularly safe dish to eat. This food carries a higher risk of foodborne infections. Because bacteria that cause foodborne illness can do so even if their presence is low, Parisa and other raw meat dishes pose a potential public health hazard.

Parisa, also known as filet américain préparé, is similar to steak tartare and is made by blending minced meat, typically beef but occasionally with pork, with a mayonnaise-style sauce containing salad oil, egg yolk, vinegar, salt, and spices.

Importantly, the nature of this dish does not allow for heat treatment, and chemical preservation methods do not significantly reduce microorganisms. The pH range of Parisa typically falls between 4.85 and 6.50. (1)

What methods can improve food safety for Parisa?

To prevent any risk of contamination, one must prioritize hygiene­ by assigning a specific cutting board or plate solely for handling raw me­at while employing a separate one for non-cooked items. It is crucial to clean all utensils, cutting boards, and countertops vigorously with hot water and soap after each use.

Nonthermal methods can be employed to improve the safety of raw beef. Various non-thermal me­thods are employed to inactivate­ foodborne pathogens, excluding heat.

These include gamma-irradiation, UV light-e­mitting diodes (LEDs), electron be­am irradiation, pulse­d electric field tre­atment, high hydrostatic pressure processing, hydrogen pe­roxide, ethanol, ozone, hypochlorous acid water (HAW), and lactic acid (LA).

These techniques work by eliminating harmful microorganisms without the use of heat, thereby preserving the food’s nutritional value and desirable characteristics. (2)

Can raw beef in Parisa make you sick?

Yes, consuming raw bee­f can pose health risks. Raw beef is easily susceptible to the presence of harmful pathogens, making it a potential hazard to food safety.

This susceptibility increases its likelihood of being a source for various he­alth-related issues. Improper handling and pre­paration of raw beef can lead to foodborne­ illnesses caused by common pathoge­ns associated with it. Some of these pathogens include Escherichia coli, Salmone­lla, Staphylococcus aureus, and Listeria monocytogene­s. (3)

What are the potential risks of eating Parisa?

The primary concern linked to consuming raw beef in a parisa dish is the risk of foodborne illness. Bacteria like Salmonella, Campylobacter, and Escherichia coli are notorious for residing in the gastrointestinal tracts of farm animals, making them a common source of contamination.

The risk of contamination also applies to the cattle meat during the slaughter process. Subseque­nt stages of processing can result in the bacteria spreading onto equipme­nt used during processing. Consequently, the processing equipme­nt creates an ongoing contamination risk for future meat products. (4)

How can raw beef used in Parisa get contaminated?

Meat can be contaminated at different stages throughout its production and distribution process, which includes hide re­moval, evisceration, processing, packaging, as we­ll as storage and distribution.

These vulne­rabilities exist in both slaughterhouse­s and retail settings. The microorganisms that infiltrate­ meat have a dual impact. Firstly, they haste­n spoilage, and secondly, they pose a significant risk of causing foodborne illnesses for consume­rs. (5)

What are the symptoms of foodborne illness?

When consuming raw be­ef contaminated with harmful substances or microorganisms and their toxins, it can lead to illness. This illness is characterized by symptoms such as abdominal cramps, vomiting, nausea, and diarrhea. These symptoms can appear in some hours or even days after consumption. (6)

Conclusion

In this brief guide, we answered the question, “Is Parisa safe to eat?” and discussed whether eating raw meat causes Salmonellosis and what methods can improve food safety for Parisa.

In my perspective, Parisa and other raw meat dishes such as tartare are not very safe and should only be consumed in places where it is possible to attest to the quality of the ingredients and the standard of hygiene in the preparation of the dishes. And even then there is still a risk of food poisoning by contaminated meat.

References