What are the risks of eating spoiled fish?

Eating spoiled fish can cause various health problems. Potential risks include gastrointestinal diseases, food poisoning, intake of harmful substances, allergic reactions, and loss of nutritional value. Detailed analysis is as follows:

1. Gastrointestinal diseases: Spoiled fish easily breeds bacteria, which may irritate the gastrointestinal mucosa after consumption and lead to acute gastroenteritis. Symptoms include abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting. Severe cases may result in dehydration and electrolyte imbalances.

2. Food poisoning: Some spoiled fish produce toxic substances such as histamine, which are difficult to fully destroy even with high-temperature cooking. After consumption, symptoms such as dizziness, headache, skin itching, and breathing difficulties may occur.

3. Intake of harmful substances: During spoilage, fats in fish oxidize to form peroxides, and proteins break down into harmful compounds like amines. Long-term or excessive intake of these substances may increase the metabolic burden on the liver and impair liver health.

4. Allergic reactions: The protein structure in spoiled fish changes and becomes more likely to act as an allergen. Even individuals who are not usually allergic may develop symptoms such as skin rashes, itching, and sore throat after eating spoiled fish.

5. Loss of nutrients: As fish spoils, its high-quality proteins, unsaturated fatty acids, and other nutrients significantly degrade and diminish. Consumption provides inadequate nutrition and may harm health due to the intake of harmful substances.

When purchasing and consuming fish, freshness must be strictly controlled. Avoid eating spoiled fish, and ensure thorough cooking to safeguard dietary safety and health.