Chapter 4 — How to Make Seafood Much Safer at Home

Food safety does not begin when seafood reaches the stove.

It begins when you purchase it.

Choose seafood from reputable retailers that follow appropriate storage and handling practices. Fresh seafood should be kept properly chilled, and frozen seafood should remain frozen until you are ready to thaw it safely.

Once you bring seafood home, keep it refrigerated and avoid leaving it at room temperature for extended periods.

One of the most common household problems is cross-contamination.

Raw seafood can carry microorganisms that should never reach foods that will be eaten without further cooking.

For example, using the same cutting board for raw fish and salad vegetables without washing and sanitizing the surface can transfer microorganisms directly onto food that will not be cooked.

Hands are another important source of contamination.

Wash your hands thoroughly after handling raw seafood, and clean knives, cutting boards, plates, countertops, and other utensils that come into contact with it.

When cooking seafood, use an appropriate food thermometer when possible rather than judging doneness solely by appearance.

Different types of seafood have different recommended cooking requirements, and official food-safety guidance should be followed.

Extra caution is warranted with shellfish.

Cooking oysters, clams, mussels, and similar shellfish thoroughly is considerably safer than eating them raw.

Do not assume that a restaurant-quality presentation means a raw seafood dish is risk-free. Even restaurants can occasionally experience contamination events.

Storage after cooking also matters.

Leftovers should be refrigerated promptly rather than sitting on a table or kitchen counter for hours.

These habits may sound basic, but they are remarkably effective.

Foodborne illness often does not come from one dramatic mistake.