Proper handling of seafood can greatly reduce your risk of foodborne illness. Keep the following safety tips in mind when buying, storing and preparing seafood:

Buying

• Buy fish from reputable sources like grocery stores and seafood markets.
• Buy fresh fish only if it is properly refrigerated (below 40 degrees Fahrenheit).
• Check to see that flesh is shiny and firm, not separating from the bone, and odor is fresh and mild, rather than overly “fishy.”
• Only buy unwrapped cooked seafood such as shrimp, crab or smoked fish if it is displayed in a separate case or a physically separated section from raw fish. Bacteria on raw fish can contaminate cooked fish.
• Make sure packaged seafood is well-packed in ice and packages are tightly sealed and free of dents and tears.
• Avoid packages of frozen seafood containing ice crystals. This is a sign the seafood has previously thawed and been re-frozen.
• Pick up seafood toward the end of your shopping trip and ask to have it bagged separately from other groceries.

Storing

• Refrigerate or freeze seafood immediately after purchasing.
• Store fresh, pasteurized or smoked seafood products in a refrigerator set at 32 to 38 degrees Fahrenheit. Use a refrigerator thermometer to check the temperature.
• Wrap fresh seafood in cellophane or place in air-tight containers.
• Store live clams, oysters, mussels, crabs, lobsters and crayfish in well-ventilated containers and cover with a damp cloth or paper towel.
• Store frozen seafood in a freezer set at or below 0 degrees Fahrenheit until ready to use. Keep it in the original moisture and vapor-proof packages.
• Use packaged, frozen seafood before the expiration date. If an expiration date has passed, don’t consume the product; throw it away.

Preparing

• Keep raw and cooked seafood separate to avoid cross-contamination.
• Use two separate cutting boards, one for raw seafood and the other for cooked seafood.
• Thoroughly wash your hands, utensils, plates and cutting boards that have touched raw seafood.
• Defrost frozen seafood in the refrigerator, under cold running water or in the microwave. Never defrost seafood on the counter.

Cooking

• Cook fish to 145 degrees Fahrenheit or until it is opaque and flakes easily with a fork.
• Pregnant women, older people, young children and people with weakened immune systems should not eat raw seafood such as:
  • Raw fish (sushi or sashimi)
  • Raw shellfish (oysters, clams, scallops, mussels or ceviche)
  • Seafood ordered undercooked or “rare” such as tuna carpaccio.

  (See High Risk Groups for more information.)