Why is intense citrus marination insufficient for making raw freshwater fish safe for consumption?

Answer

Citric acid denatures proteins but fails to reliably kill all harmful bacteria or parasites

While the process used in creating ceviche involves submerging seafood in citrus juice, which causes proteins to denature and results in an appearance resembling that of cooked flesh, this acidic action is limited in its safety scope. Citric acid is not a reliable sterilizing agent capable of eliminating all potential biological hazards present in raw fish. Specifically, it is ineffective against killing certain types of harmful bacteria that cause foodborne illness or the various parasites, such as flukes or tapeworms, that are frequently harbored by freshwater catches. Therefore, for genuine safety against these threats, adequate thermal cooking remains the necessary standard for freshwater fish.

Why is intense citrus marination insufficient for making raw freshwater fish safe for consumption?

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