Houston woman buys wild-caught salmon at H-E-B. Then shows what made her lose her appetite: ‘I’m done with seafood’

A Houston woman says she found parasites inside a piece of wild-caught salmon she bought from H-E-B, and she shared the discovery in a video that has drawn wide attention online.

The woman, who posts under the name Andrea (@brownsknbeauty), shared the video on TikTok. It shows a close-up of a raw salmon fillet resting on a white, crinkled surface, believed to be butcher paper or a plastic bag, while smooth jazz saxophone music plays in the background.

The TikTok video has been viewed more than 106,800 times, and drawn more than 800 comments. The caption reads, “I think I’m done with seafood for a while. Be aware if you shop at HEB. @H-E-B #heb #houstontexas”

Video shows worm-like parasites found inside the fish

On-screen text in the video reads, ” I WENT TO H-E-B FOR WILD CAUGHT SALMON AND THE SAXOPHONES GOT LOUDER.” The video shows the vibrant red flesh of the salmon fillet as a clear plastic fork is gently pressed into it. This reveals a small, white, worm-like parasite protruding from the flesh. 

The fork is then used to poke the salmon in several other spots, revealing more of these white, thread-like organisms embedded in the muscle fibers of the fish. The camera zooms in slightly, making the parasites more visible against the red flesh of the salmon.

In her caption, she tagged the retailer along with the hashtags #heb and #houstontexas. H-E-B responded to the video in the comments section, writing, “Please know we are sorry for the quality and inconvenience! We understand if you don’t have the product anymore and threw it out. But our Business Center Partners will still be able to assist with a refund and follow up with our Seafood dept.”

According to the Institute for Environmental Research and Education (IERE), parasites, including worms, are commonly found in wild-caught fish as a natural part of their lifecycle. The organization states that not all wild-caught fish carry worms, but many do, and the presence of parasites depends on factors such as the fish species, its geographic location, its diet, and environmental conditions like water quality and temperature.

The IERE also states that most parasites are harmless to humans when the fish is cooked properly, and that inspection processes are meant to catch and remove visible parasites before the fish reaches consumers. Cooking and freezing are described as effective methods for killing these parasites.

Per the IERE, some of the most common worms found in wild-caught fish include nematodes, also known as roundworms, with Anisakis being a well-known type found in marine fish. Cestodes, or tapeworms, are said to be less common but can still appear, particularly in freshwater fish. Trematodes, or flukes, are also mentioned as parasites that can infect various organs of fish.

The organization also addressed common misconceptions about the topic. It states that seeing a worm in fish does not automatically mean the fish is unsafe to eat, since properly cooked or frozen fish containing worms is generally considered safe.

It also notes that parasite presence varies within regions and among species, rather than being guaranteed across an entire region, and that parasites can be found in fish across all price ranges and quality levels, not just cheaper products. Such discoveries of parasites in store-bought fish are not rare, like when a woman ordered salmon from Longhorn Steakhouse and found something unexpected inside. 

Several viewers responded to Andrea’s video with comments defending the presence of parasites in wild-caught fish as a known and expected issue. One commenter wrote, “Don’t buy wild caught if you not ready for wild caught problems lmao.” Another said, “It wild caught salmon. Read up on it and you’ll see that it’s not uncommon. It’s not HEB’s fault.”

A third commenter wrote, “All fish have worms.” Another pointed to food preparation, commenting, “this is why you wash before cooking.” One more viewer wrote, “you wanted wild caught you got wild caught.” Such encounters with seafood are not uncommon, as when a Philadelphia woman found a worm in her Whole Foods sea bass and skipped dinner.