Safety - Quality Guide

FACILITY & CAPABILITIES
Home
Safety - Quality Guide
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 

J.J.MCDONNELL & CO.

Quick Links

WHAT'S DUE IN?
SEAFOOD SPOTLIGHT
OYSTER AVAILABILITY
LOCAL SELECTIONS
CAVIAR AVAILABILITY
Stay up to date!
J.J. McDonnell will keep you up to date on product specials and availability
Sign up for product specials, market reports and text message alerts.
Get nutritional information, flavor, texture
and cooking tips.