If heat kills food germs, why is it normal for Japanese to eat raw food?

Question

If heat kills food germs, why is it normal for Japanese to eat raw food?

In: 11

Answer 1

Most food is safe to eat raw provided it’s fresh enough and clean enough. Sashimi is one example of fish that is so extremely fresh that it can just be sliced and eaten.

The reason why the vast majority of foods are cooked is because the vast majority of foods simply can’t be that fresh, or are otherwise invariably exposed to dangerous bacteria during the preparation process.