Studies have shown that these parasites present little, if any, health hazard, and they can be easily removed or destroyed by cooking. Much of the aku catch is sold fresh, but surpluses caught during the peak summer season are sometimes processed. Some of the excess summer fish are dried. Cut into the fish from both sides to establish slits along the backbone. Larger aku have a greater fat content than smaller aku and this is another desirable attribute for raw fish dishes.
Cooking causes the flesh to become lighter in color.
This is an advantage in satisfying local ethnic taste preferences, but it may not be as desirable in other markets. Aku is the preferred species for many ethnic seafood dishes, especially poke, raw fish served in bite-sized pieces with various spices and condiments. Many Japanese and Hawaiian consumers prefer sashimi prepared from large aku to that from ahi. The meat cooks quickly and can easily dry out if overcooked. V. Historical Note Aku figures prominently in Hawaiian legends.