Sushi grade is not a regulated term; the real protection is that raw-consumption fish has been previously frozen, which kills parasites, per the FDA.
Freezing does not kill all harmful germs, so raw fish always carries some risk, and cooking is the safest route. Buy from high-turnout reputable sellers, look for fish sold for raw consumption and kept cold, and skip raw fish entirely if pregnant, older, or immunocompromised, since the FDA lists raw seafood like sashimi among their higher-risk foods. Supermarket fish not labeled for raw use is not sushi fish, whatever the internet says.
What to do
Common questions
What is sushi grade fish?
Sushi grade sounds like an official certification and is not: no government standard defines it, so it means whatever the seller says it means. The actual safety mechanism behind raw fish is cold, not labels. The FDA explains that some fish species can contain parasites, and freezing kills any parasites that may be present, which is why their rule of thumb for eating raw fish is to eat fish that has been previously frozen, for set times. But the FDA is explicit: freezing does not kill all harmful germs, which is why the safest route is to cook seafood, and why raw fish always carries some residual bacterial and viral risk even when parasite-free. So look for reputable, high-turnover sellers and fish labeled for raw consumption, kept properly cold, smelling of the sea rather than fishy. Who should skip raw fish entirely: pregnant women, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems, because their downside from a bad piece is hospital territory, and the FDA lists raw or undercooked seafood, including sashimi, among higher-risk foods for them. Random supermarket fish labeled nothing is not sushi fish.