Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
Food
Is Lox Kosher? Or Crawling with Tiny Worms?
By
Sabrina Jaszi
Published Mar 8, 2010
Modified Mar 8, 2010
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Sabrina Jaszi
Published Mar 8, 2010
Modified Mar 8, 2010
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Chevra Mehadrin, a small group of ultra-Orthodox rabbis, recently announced a ban on lox, claiming a parasite that attaches itself to salmon makes it non-kosher. The Orthodox Union says the bagel topping is safe, despite sometimes carrying a worm called anisakis. "The issue has been resolved in Jewish law for hundreds of years already," Rabbi Moshe Elefant told the Post, dismissing the upstate rabbis’ suggestion. But kosher or not, are New Yorkers really spreading worms on their bagels?
Anisakis is most common in wild salmon, according to the Beyond Salmon blog, though herring and sardines also fall prey to the parasite. Wikipedia says that if the worms find their way inside you, you may experience “violent abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting,” forget Jewish guilt. However, despite increasing concern in Orthodox communities, scientists say the worms aren’t a danger. “Anisakis has been around since before man. It’s one of nature’s greatest achievements as a parasite,” said Dr. Ted Myers, Alaska’s chief fish pathologist.
As for whether the worm turns lox into treif, the rabbinical jury’s still out. “Every five years they discover this problem,” Rabbi Dovid Cohen told the Jewish Star, adding that one rabbi considered “writing a teshuva (answer) explaining why salmon is kosher but did not, out of concern that it be used after his death to find justifications to prohibit the fish.” Rabbi Charim Golberg claims that in addition to lox, the other fish on Chevra Mehadrun’s blacklist (hake, flounder, sol, halibut, sea bass, red perch, scrod, pollock, cod and butter fish) should all be considered kosher. “It’s nothing to carp about,” he said.
Tagged
anisakis
bagel
breakfast
bronx
cream cheese
jew
jewish
lox
orthodox jew
orthodox union
ultra-orthodox
Sabrina Jaszi
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE food
Where are the cheapest drinks in NYC? A new report details the city's average prices.
The median price of a cocktail in the city is now $16, and $9 for a draft beer.
By
Hannah Frishberg
Published Oct 19, 2026
North African restaurants are rare in NYC. These 10 are the best.
Egyptian, Moroccan, Algerian and Tunisian food is delicious but underrepresented in the city.
By
Robert Sietsema
Food
North African restaurants are rare in NYC. These 10 are the best.
Egyptian, Moroccan, Algerian and Tunisian food is delicious but underrepresented in the city.
By
Robert Sietsema
10 dishes that demonstrate the delicious diversity of curry in New York City
By
Robert Sietsema
Frozen yogurt is back in New York City. So are the super long lines.
By
Sonia Rao
5 NYC banana puddings as good as Magnolia's
By
Hannah Frishberg
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .