Hi,

I bought some raw frozen sardines today. I am defrosting them for the morning but have just noticed that they haven't been gutted!
Is it okay to give them to my gang like that or should I clean them?

I am a bit worried about parasites etc.

Thanks 

I always give my lot whole raw sardines(ok I ask the fishmonger to cut the heads off-yuk!) and haven't had any problems.Have never wondered if there could be a problem with them not being gutted.Hope not!

> I am a bit worried about parasites

As they've come to you frozen I shouldn't think you would have any risk but out of interest:
Info below is taken from 'Food borne Parasitic zoonoses' by K.Darwin Murrell & Bernard Fried

(To kill Anisakid larvae [the parasite].... {Fish must be}Frozen to -35 (or below) celsius for min 15 hours or at -20 celsius for min 7days.
    Anisakid larvae are not killed by microwave (Bourne et al 1995)
For cooking [fish] should be cooked until core temp. reaches 60 celsius (or more) for at least 10 mins (Saka-Muiri and McKurrow 1989)

To be honest don't forget:

Scandanavians eat Gravlax
Spaniards eat anchovies and Sardines
Japanese a multitude of raw fish
Mexican (as above)
Hawaiians eat raw Lomi-lomi
Filipinos eat Kimi-lau (sp!?)
etc etc you get the picture!! ;)

And modern processing of these fish means that the candling process (to check for infections) is much better as seen in Canada :)
I have always fed raw whole fish the only instance I wouldn't would be if any of my dogs were not fit and well.
Hope this is of interest :)

> I bought some raw frozen sardines today. I am defrosting them for the morning but have just noticed that they haven't been gutted!
> Is it okay to give them to my gang like that or should I clean them?
>
>

Out of Sainsbury's?  I bought some too thinking it might be a change for the cats, the kittens had an attempt to eat one but only Mia entertained a defrosted sardine.  I've got half a bag left, let me know how your's get on with them & you can have my half full bag!

I have fed complete after thawing out, i was under the impression if they had been frozen all parasites should of been killed off.

I've never had any problems anyway, mine adore them

Thanks everyone. Yeah Christine, I got them from Sainsbury's.
Only one of my brood decided they weren't for her. She had a bit of a chew but decided that someone else could have them.
 

I wouldn't worry unfortunately my two wont eat raw fish  lightly cooked. (no not a la jamie o with a sprig of herbs and a slurp of wine!) but then they are much the same with offal !

Give them as they are. My one young male will only eat tinned sardines in tomato sauce.  My sams years ago used to eat the mackrel raw off the fishermen in Brixham harbour, when on holiday, head tail the lot. They only ever attended a vet for injectons were fit and healthy lived to be 13yrs old.

Denese

> no not a la jamie o with a sprig of herbs and a slurp of wine!

Hmmmmm..... must have a word with my two about that then!! and restrict their TV viewing.... ;)

lol.

Out of Sainsbury's Yes bag for £1.99 and defrosted them and cut them up into bite size pieces and the girls woofed them up ! Cats stuck their nose up at them as raw food is like poison to them unless they have killed them and then they will quite happily tuck into a warm raw feast !

I will have to get some of those for the boys - is it a big bag ? they have just had tinned pilchards with tomato sauce for their tea and polished off the lot.  My cats sound the same as yours, the only raw they will eat is what they have killed (if the dogs dont beat them to it !!)

I think there were about 8 in the bag and all a decent size.

Yes my lot love tinned pilchards but I don' particularly like the licks afterwards to say thank you! :-D

My Dobermann loves raw sardines (heads, guts, and all). He swallows them whole, down in one, like a penguin :-D

>Yes my lot love tinned pilchards but I don' particularly like the licks afterwards to say thank you! 

mine like to wipe their grotty faces on the sofa .... thank god its leather !!

> mine like to wipe their grotty faces on the sofa .... thank god its leather !!

my boy does this after eating his tinned sardines, strange! :)

> Scandanavians eat Gravlax
>

ohhhhhhhh sooooooooo gooooooooooooood

i do love gravlax :)

> Yeah Christine, I got them from Sainsbury's

PM me your address and when I'm passing through Dundee (Eveyday!) I'll drop off my half bag to you.     My cats have decided they are more fowl than fish in their eating preferences.