Safety - Quality Guide

When you buy seafood, you expect it to meet certain high standards. If the quality falls short of your expectation, chances are you’ll refuse to make a purchase.

When you buy seafood, you expect it to meet certain high standards. If the quality falls short of your expectation, chances are you’ll refuse to make a purchase. Your customers are the same way. They expect the very best from you, and if they don’t get it, they’ll go to someone else. Or, worse yet, they’ll simply give up on seafood altogether. Don’t let that happen. Make sure you buy and sell nothing but the best. Use the quality guide below to help you recognize top-grade seafood and keep substandard product from ever reaching your customers.

Fresh, Whole or Dressed Fish

Good Quality

Poor Quality

Eyes

Clear, bright, bulging; black pupil

Dull, sunken, cloudy; gray pupil

Gills

Bright-red, free of slime, clear mucus

Brown to gray, thick yellow mucus

Flesh

Firm, elastic to touch, tight to bone

Soft and flabby, separating from bone

Scales

Tightly adhered to skin, bright color, few missing

Dull, large number missing

Belly cavity

Thoroughly eviscerated and washed, no blood

Incomplete evisceration, traces of blood, cuts

Odor

Ocean fresh, slight seaweed smell

Strong "fishy", putrid or ammonia smell

Fresh Fillets/Steaks

Good Quality

Poor Quality

Color

Varies with species, but should be bright, uniform

Bruises, red spots, yellowing or browning at edges

Flesh

Cleanly cut, free of skin (if skinless), no bones, firm, moist

Ragged edges, traces of bones and skin (if skinless), soft and mushy, gaping, dried out

Odor

Ocean fresh, slight seaweed smell

Strong “fishy,” putrid or ammonia smell

Shellfish

Good Quality

Poor Quality

Live crabs and lobsters

Legs move when touched; lobster tail curls under when lobster is lifted; solid weight, hard shell

No movement; lobster tail hangs limp; light weight for size; excessively soft shell (except for softshell blue crab)

Live clams, mussels, oysters, scallops

Shells tightly closed or close when tapped; shells clean, unbroken and moist; beards still on mussels; fresh scent. Neck of a softshell clam should retract when touched

Gaping shells, don't dose when tapped; broken, dirty or dried-out shells; strong fishy odor

Shucked clams, mussels, oysters, scallops

Plump meats; clear liquor, no shell particles or grit; liquid less than 10 percent of volume; clean oceany smell; scallops hold their shape

Meats dried out, shriveled or discolored; excessive or cloudy liquid; shell particles and grit; sour odor

Fresh Shrimp

Firm meat and no vein if P&D: translucent, moist shell; firm to touch; mild odor

Black spots (melanosis) on shell; dull, dry shells; soft flesh and traces of vein (if P&D); strong iodine odor

Surimi seafood

Snow-white or off-white meat; texture appropriate to species being imitated; firm; free of high proportion of natural fish ingredient; fresh scent

Red coloring bleeding into white meat; mushy or overly firm texture; Impurities in meat; excessive liquid in package; off-color product; excessive starches and binders; sour or fermented odor

Frozen Seafood

Good Quality

Poor Quality

Frozen Seafood

Flesh is solidly frozen and glossy. When thawed, should meet same criteria as fresh

Partially thawed; white or dark spots on flesh; ice crystals or freezer burn on flesh; dry, papery edges; discoloration; tough when cooked

Safety - Quality Guide

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