Are Humans Really Safe For Piranhas To Eat?
A close friend (also a huge sushi and tuna fan) recently asked me to write something interesting about "fish." I, of course, hate to disappoint...
We obviously spend a fair amount of time writing about the food we eat. We also inquire often why the animals we eat are allowed to carry pathogens, and what can be done about it. Well, what if the tables were turned? Paging through a recent issue of Popular Science, I stumbled across an article inquiring how long it would take a school of piranhas -- you guessed it -- to eat a human being. Although I personally don’t care (and, don’t plan to swim in the Amazon any time soon), I’m sure the topic interests some.
Nevertheless, as I slid the magazine back onto the magazine rack, I found myself wondering whether humans would actually be “safe” for piranhas (or any other creatures) to consume? Although the article suggested that a school of piranhas could dispatch a human being in about 5 minutes, would it be worth it? Put the meal itself aside. Humans, like other living creatures (from chickens to cattle) can carry and shed bacteria. Whether generic E. coli, Salmonella or Clostridium Perfringens, the simple fact is that people are all capable of harboring bad bugs.
Thus, to placate my friend, and to liven the debate if only briefly, we're all interested in the answer to this simple question. Are humans really safe for piranhas to eat?
