Seafood such as fish and shellfish contain a large amount of high-quality protein and other nutrients. Regular consumption of seafood helps ensure high-quality protein content in your diet, Different kinds of seafood contribute to cardiovascular health, Promote the growth and development of children. Like meat and vegetables, Choose and cook seafood correctly, It is very important to avoid food poisoning. In order for you and your family to eat seafood more safely and safely, This article provides some tips on purchasing, handling and eating provided by FDA of the United States. Guide to Purchase 1. Fish and Shrimp (1) Smell: Fish should smell fresh and have no irritating smell. Avoid buying fish that are fishy, rancid, sour or have ammonia smell (urine smell); (2) Look at fish eyes: they should be clear and slightly prominent; (3) Look at the fish meat and gills: the fish meat should be firm and shiny, and the gills should have a bright red color with no milky white sticky things on it; (4) Press fish: it should be elastic when pressing; (5) Look at fish scales: they should not fade or dye deeply, and the edges should not be dry. (6) Look at shrimp meat: it should be translucent and shiny, with no or a little taste. 2. Shellfish, crab and lobster (1) Look at the shell: when buying shellfish such as clams, oysters (also called oysters) and mussels (also called Haihong and Qingkou), do not choose seafood with broken shells; (2) Knock on the shell: such as clams, oysters, mussels, etc. If the shells of fresh seafood meet when tapping on the shell, do not buy those shellfish that do not fit; (3) Look at legs and feet: Live crabs and lobsters should have flexible legs and feet. These seafood will deteriorate quickly after death. Therefore, when buying crabs and lobsters, buy live ones. 3. Frozen seafood Buy frozen fish and shrimps, or those placed on thick ice, and it is better to choose to put them in boxes with covers. (1) Frozen seafood will deteriorate if it is thawed during transportation or left at higher temperatures for too long; (2) Do not buy frozen seafood if the outer package has been opened, torn or the edge is damaged; (3) Do not buy seafood placed at the top of the refrigeration equipment; (4) Don’t buy products with frost or ice crystals on their packaging, This often means that the seafood has been stored for a long time or has been thawed halfway. Storage Guide After purchasing seafood, It should be quickly placed on ice or refrigerated or frozen. If you eat it within two days after purchase, It can be stored temporarily in cold storage. Otherwise, Wrap it tightly in plastic bags, tin foil or moisture-proof paper and freeze it for storage. 1. Separate treatment When handling fresh or thawed seafood, It is very important to prevent cooked food from being contaminated by bacteria on raw and cold seafood. Observe the following points to avoid cross-contamination: (1) For unpackaged but cooked seafood, it should be separated from raw seafood and packed in a separate container; (2) Wash your hands with soap and warm water for more than 20 seconds before and after contacting any raw seafood; (3) Chopping boards, plates or other utensils on which raw seafood is placed shall be cleaned with detergent and hot water before other foods can be placed. (4) If you are still not at ease, The kitchen disinfectant can be sprayed on the chopping board and desktop where raw seafood is placed for cleaning. 2. Takeout-Temporary storage of low temperature and clean environment When packing cooked seafood, Be sure to carefully clean the external belt box first. If the external refrigerator box has been used to hold raw seafood, it should be carefully cleaned before use to prevent bacteria from contaminating the food. Food guidelines 1. Thawing (1) It is best to thaw the frozen seafood in the refrigerator the night before; (2) If it is too late, it can be put into a sealed bag and soaked in cold water. (3) If you want to cook now, you can choose the thawing option in the microwave oven until the meat is still cold but soft. 2. Cooking uses the following methods to judge whether the seafood has been cooked: (1) Fish: Fish should become opaque and can be easily separated with forks; (2) Shrimp and lobster: the meat is pearl luster and opaque; (3) Scallop: The meat quality becomes opaque and firm; (4) clams, mussels and oysters: During cooking, the shells open, If you don’t open it all the time, Just throw it away. Corrupt seafood will have an ammonia smell. This smell will become more intense and pungent after cooking. If you smell this smell in cooking or on prepared seafood, Never eat it. 3. During the course of serving and tasting, There are also some matters to be noted: (1) Do not leave seafood or other perishable foods at room temperature for more than two hours. If the room temperature is higher than 32 degrees Celsius, even if it is more than one hour, it will be dangerous. The main reason is that bacteria will grow and reproduce rapidly in a warm environment, leading to diseases; (2) If seafood is chosen for picnic, it is better to use portable refrigerator or outsource ice cubes, and avoid opening it halfway. (3) Put the seafood to be heated on a small plate for temporary refrigeration, and then take it out for heating when it needs to be eaten; (4) Cold meals such as sashimi should be placed on ice cubes, Or keep it in the refrigerator all the time. 4. Precautions for eating raw seafood usually need to be thoroughly cooked to prevent food poisoning. However, if you choose raw seafood, the most important point is that seafood should be frozen in advance. (1) Some fish will have parasites, and freezing can kill possible parasites; (2) In spite of this, freezing cannot kill all harmful microorganisms. This is why we recommend eating cooked seafood as much as possible. (3) Many people will directly eat freshly caught oysters raw, Fresh and safe, But in fact, These oysters are still at risk of food poisoning. After fishing, After some treatment, Can remove some naturally occurring pathogenic microorganisms, But it will not remove all the microorganisms that can cause diseases. Therefore, It is still recommended to eat cooked oysters. Seafood eaters are taboo. In fact, Some people are more vulnerable to food poisoning. This group of people should not eat raw fish or shellfish. Mainly includes: Pregnant women, children, the elderly, people with low immunity, people with insufficient gastric acid secretion, and health instructions for pregnant women and nursing women: If you happen to be a pregnant woman, Or they’re breastfeeding, Or is preparing for pregnancy, An important thing in your diet is to avoid methylmercury. This poison can be found in some fish. If you eat too much, Methylmercury can cause damage to the development of fetal nervous system. Therefore, Do not eat fish with high mercury content such as sharks, sailfish, mackerel and square head fish. Of course, You can’t stop eating any seafood just because of this, Both you and the baby in your belly need high-quality protein, Seafood is a good way. You can still eat about 72 other kinds of fish every week to supplement nutrition. In addition, When choosing fish and seafood for children, The above seafood should also be avoided. Recommended to eat these high-quality seafood: Shrimp, canned tuna, salmon, cod, catfish. More and more people will choose to go fishing in reservoirs or lakes or rivers on weekends. However, before deciding to eat fresh river or seafood caught, be sure to consult local experienced fishermen or farmers to determine whether the fish caught is edible.
