CDC Advises Against Eating Rare Walrus

Advice from the CDC: Cook your walrus well before eating it. The agency has issued an official warning that eating rare walrus can lead to trichinellosis, also known as trichinosis, the Consumerist reports. The warning may not mean much to most residents of the contiguous US, but it comes after two outbreaks in Alaska, where eating walrus is much more common. The parasite-caused infection can cause numerous unpleasant-sounding symptoms ranging from vomiting to heart and breathing problems—or even death. Both outbreaks, each of which involved five people who all experienced a full recovery, were linked to raw or undercooked walrus meat, leading the CDC to recommend that anyone cooking walrus make sure to get it to at least 160 degrees Fahrenheit. (More walruses stories.)