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Costco shopper who purchased fresh salmon from the store notices something moving inside

The TikToker warned fellow shoppers about the risks of infection from the salmon.
PUBLISHED AUG 21, 2025
Screenshot from the shopper's video (right) and representational image of Costco (Cover image source: TikTok and Getty Images | Photo by Slobo)
Screenshot from the shopper's video (right) and representational image of Costco (Cover image source: TikTok and Getty Images | Photo by Slobo)

Costco may be one of the most trusted retailers in the country, but it has been hit by a number of recalls in a matter of months. One of the products that had to be pulled off the shelf was Kirkland smoked salmon. Now, one TikTok creator has sounded the alarm against eating store-bought salmon. Megan (@megan_y on TikTok) shared a video showing how her packaged salmon fillets were crawling with parasites. The creator claimed that frozen fish posed a risk of a parasitic infection, and she had to put her entire family on a month-long parasite cleanse to be safe.

Screenshots showing the creator talking about the parasite cleanse (Image source: TikTok/@megan_y_5)
Screenshots showing the creator talking about the parasite cleanse (Image source: TikTok/@megan_y_5)

In her video, Megan opened with saying, "I am going to give you 30-40 reasons to never touch it [store-bought salmon] again,". She then claimed that she bought two packs of wild sockeye salmon from Costco with a valid sell-by date and found something shocking crawling out of them. She shared that at the store, the packages were super-cold, but they eventually warmed up during the hour-long drive to her home. She shared that upon getting home, she saw some parasites popping out of the fish, so she decided to leave it out and not consume it.

Screenshots showing the creator talking about the salmon (Image source: TikTok/@megan_y_5)
Screenshots showing the creator talking about the salmon (Image source: TikTok/@megan_y_5)

"I left it out overnight just to see how many of these are in there," she said in her video, talking about the parasites. She then warned the viewers about the graphic imagery she was about to reveal. The camera then flipped to the salmon fillets that were still packaged, sitting on the counter. Megan zoomed in to show the tiny worm-like parasites that were crawling all over the fish. "Oh my god. This is so nasty," she said in her video as she pointed out the different areas where the parasites were crawling.

Screenshots showing the creator poiting to the parasites (Image source: TikTok/@megan_y_5)
Screenshots showing the creator poiting to the parasites (Image source: TikTok/@megan_y_5)

Megan claimed that there were so many parasites that she lost count, and this happened despite purchasing the fish well before its sell-by date. She shared that she eventually decided to throw the salmon away after the smell worsened. She then went on to share that her family did eat salmon, but at her mother's place later in the day, and she had to put everyone on a parasite cleanse with 'Paraguard'. "My mom started it right away as soon as I showed her the video," she shared.

"This cured me… forever and always. I’m not blaming Costco. Salmon is an extremely parasitic fish. You can’t even cook them out. This is also why parasite cleanses are SO important! The US is one of the few countries where it isn’t a regular practice. Most countries do it 1 or 2 times a year. Parasites cause so many issues within your body, you HAVE to get them out," the creator added in her caption.


@megan_y_5 This cured me… forever and always. I’m not blaming Costco. Salmon is an extremely parasitic fish. You can’t even cook them out. This is also why parasite cleanses are SO important! The US is one of the only countries where it isn’t a regular practice. Most countries do it 1 or 2 times a year. Parasites cause so many issues within your body, you HAVE to get them out. . . . . #salmon #parasite #worms #costco #fish ♬ original sound - 🩶🏁🤍MEGAN🤍🏁🩶

 

The video naturally shocked her viewers, who couldn't believe how bad the condition was. "This is why I don’t eat fish," wrote one viewer, @owenia0. However, many claimed that it was natural for salmon to harbour parasites, and they could be killed by freezing or cooking. "That's not wild caught, it's farm raised. I can tell by the color. Wild Salmon has a dull peach-like color. 80% of farm-raised fish have parasites, and wild caught 28%. This is why you should always FREEZE your salmon before you cook it," suggested @soulforge2

"Listen up, all fish have parasites. That's why sushi in America has to be frozen or smoked before it can be served. Never buy unfrozen fish, even when you catch it in the water and take it home. Set it in salt water or freeze it after cleaning," @thatkindofguy65 explained.

More on Market Realist:

Costco customer throws away his receipt before leaving the store — instantly regrets the move

Costco shopper reveals a brilliant way to keep store-bought lettuce fresh for two months

Costco customer points out how the muffins they’re selling now are different: 'You had to...'

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