A FOOD SERVICE GUIDE TO SEAFOOD QUALITY

A FOOD SERVICE GUIDE TO SEAFOOD QUALITY

FRESH SEAFOOD PURCHASING

There is no magic formula for judging freshness. The quality of
some seafood ten days from the fishing grounds can be just as high
as other product only two days old. Some seafood can be held
longer than others and there are a host of other variable factors that
influence quality.
Emphasize product quality when talking to suppliers. If you are
able to physically inspect product when purchasing, let your eyes,
hands and nose be your guide. The flesh of high quality fresh
seafood is firm and resilient, and the skin is shiny. The gills of most
finfish should be blood red. High quality fish have bright and clear
eyes. The scales should adhere closely to the skin and be largely
intact. Odors should be pleasant and minimal.
Specify shipping conditions. Tell your suppliers to pre-chill all
fresh seafood before packing; the ideal shipping temperature is 30-
32  F. Carefully plan purchases of fresh seafood to minimize
holding time and reduce disposal of old product.
Learn as much as you can about the fresh products you are
handling: special visual clues to quality; seasonal variations
affecting quality; timing of fishing seasons and periods; etc.

RECEIVING
Inspect all incoming shipments of fresh seafood for quality. Your
eyes, hands and nose should check for the basic clues of seafood
quality: odor, resilience, scales, eyes, gills and overall appearance
or physical condition. If any problems are detected, notify the
supplier immediately.
Check core temperatures with a bi-metal thermometer. Fish held at
50  F. will spoil five times faster than a fish held at 32  F. If a
shipping temperature was specified and the product delivered fails
to fall within the acceptable range, both the supplier and carrier
should be contacted immediately.
Watch for broken containers which can signal that the seafood has
been physically damaged. Check for cleanliness of delivery
vehicles.
Grade the incoming seafood according to quality. Use the older and
warmer seafood first in your rotation cycle. Thoroughly rinse with
ice-cold water all incoming product covered with blood, slime or
other sources of nutrients for bacteria.

STORAGE
Fresh seafood should be kept cool and moist. Maximum holding
times vary according to species, temperature and intrinsic quality.
Fresh seafood held in storage should be periodically checked for
quality by experienced personnel. A strong policy for rotating fresh
seafood in storage and disposing of old product is very important.
The best storage method is to gently place fresh whole fish on a bed
of flake ice. Each single layer of fish should be covered with a layer
of ice. The combined depth of ice and fish should never exceed
three feet.
Fresh whole fish stored in ice should be protected against meltwater
by using storage containers with drain holes. Steaks and fillets
should not be stored in ice or held in any other method allowing
direct contact with fluids. Seafood held in water or product fluids
deteriorates very quickly.
Product quality also can be maintained by holding fresh seafood in
a cold room kept at a constant 30-32  F. Avoid piling fresh seafood
held without ice to eliminate "hot spots" which contribute to
accelerated deterioration of quality. Minimize dehydration by
periodic misting or other methods of moistening fish held in dry
cold storage.

OTHER ADVICE
Fresh seafood should be handled with care. The delicate flavor,
aroma and texture that make good seafood so special all are directly
related to product quality. Blood seepage into the flesh from
bruising damages the appearance of seafood as well as creating a
strong "fishy" aroma and taste.
Fresh fish should not be picked up by the tail as this separates the
vertebrae in the backbone and allows blood to ooze into the flesh.
Make it a general practice to lift fresh fish gently with two hands.
Sanitation is particularly important with fresh seafood. Bacteria and
enzymes are present in all seafood; cooling a fish to 32  only slows
down the activities of the invisible spoilers. When the seafood is
taken out of cold storage for preparation, the bacteria and enzymes
will go back to work breaking down the flesh, turning firm, resilient
tissue soft and mushy. Don't allow fresh seafood to sit around
waiting to be used--take it out of the cold store as needed.

FROZEN SEAFOOD PURCHASING
Ignore the myths about the inferiority of frozen seafood and base
your purchases on product quality. Many seafood products are
frozen within hours of harvesting, while it takes several days to get
the same seafood delivered to your kitchen as "fresh." The freezing
technology, and handling methods of the seafood industry allow the
fresh-caught flavor, aroma and texture to be
captured for months.
Tell your supplier that you're interested in top quality frozen
products. Ask how long the product has been held in cold storage
since production and at what temperature range. The best storage
temperature is a constant - 10  F. or colder. Frozen product should
not be held at temperatures above 0  F.
If visually inspecting frozen seafood before purchase, look for signs
of freezer burn, adequacy of protective covering and integrity of
packaging.
Specific shipping temperatures. The best shipping temperature is a
constant -10  F. or colder, but shipping temperatures at 0 F. or
lower are acceptable.

RECEIVING
 Inspect incoming shipments of frozen seafood, pay particular
attention to the shipping cartons. Watch for damaged containers and
signs of temperature abuse. Boxes with water marks may indicate
that the product has been allowed to partially thaw during transit.
If you have any questions about the quality of incoming product,
contact your supplier at once.
Open at least one carton per incoming shipment and check core
temperatures of product with a hi-metal thermometer. Re-package
the seafood sample immediately upon completion of the inspection.
If the temperature does not meet shipping specifications, quickly
notify both the carrier and supplier.
Check the integrity of the protective coverings of frozen
seafood. An inadequate water glaze or broken vacuum pack will
speed product dehydration and freezer burn.

Move incoming frozen seafood into cold storage set at 0 F. or
below as quickly as possible.

THAWING
Thawing can have a profound effect on seafood quality. Thaw
frozen seafood slowly to minimize drip loss and protect flavor.
aroma and texture. Plan your seafood needs carefully to allow
sufficient time for thawing.
The best results are obtained when a product is thawed at 32-35  F.
This can be accomplished by placing frozen products on a bed of
flake ice in a cold room or by thawing without ice in a room or
container kept at 32-35  F. Never let the temperature climb above
40  F. Allow 24-36 hours for this method.
During thawing operations, always place the product in drain pans
or other containers that prevent buildup of meltwater and drippings.
The quality of seafood held in water deteriorates rapidly.
One acceptable method of reducing thawing time is to immerse
frozen product sealed tightly in a stout plastic bag in very cold
water. Quick thaw methods should be approached with caution,
however, as improper thawing can seriously damage seafood
quality. Once the product is thawed, keep it chilled until ready for
use.

OTHER ADVICE
Never re-freeze seafood. When using only part of a shatter-pack or
package of frozen seafood, remove the desired portion quickly and
immediately re-package the remaining product and return to cold
storage.
The shelf life of frozen seafood varies according to species,
temperature, intrinsic quality and packaging. As a general rule.
don't hold frozen seafood for longer than six to nine months. This
shelf life can be obtained only by proper handling and storage.

Establish a good sanitation program for seafood handling areas.
Bacteria and enzymes resume their destructive work once the
product has been thawed.
Remember, frozen products often are superior in actuality to fresh
seafood; product quality should be the most important
consideration in purchasing and menuing, rather than "fresh" or
"frozen." The best seafood menus provide a good selection of both
fresh and frozen seafood dishes.

ALASKA SEAFOOD MARKETING INSTITUTE

One of the most significant trends of the 1980s and '90s has been
America's obsession with health and fitness. The lifestyles of
millions of Americans have been profoundly affected by the interest
in diet and exercise.

A 1983 Gallup Poll by the National Restaurant
Association showed that half of Americans are ordering more
nutritious meals when dining out. The biggest beneficiary of the
switch is seafood, according to Gallup.

The success of foodservice operators in taking
advantage of this opportunity will depend on more than the cooking
abilities of individual chefs. Careful product selection, proper
holding temperatures and gentle handling are every bit as important
as preparation. After all, the best chef in the world can't restore lost
product quality.

The Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute has been
actively working with the foodservice industry to broaden the
demand for Alaska seafood. ASMI wants you to succeed in
attracting a loyal following of diners who can't get enough of your
seafood. That's why we prepared this short collection of seafood
handling tips.

The spoilers of seafood quality: bacteria, enzymes,
dehydration, oxidation, contamination and physical damage, will
strike whenever they are given an opportunity. These spoilers can
be beaten if everyone in the seafood delivery chain from fishermen
to chef makes quality their business.

Fundamental to seafood quality is the understanding that
seafood must be treated differently than beef, pork, lamb and other
meat products. Fish and shellfish lack the tough muscular fiber of
land animals and their natural environment and body temperatures
are much cooler. Consequently, seafood must be handled with care
while being kept cool and moist.

Carefully plan purchases to avoid prolonged holding and
focus on product quality rather than "fresh" or "frozen." Learn how
to select high quality products and work to transform the entire
foodservice staff into quality "experts."

Build a seafood quality and sanitation program to fit
your operation. These guidelines only provide a basic framework;
the rest is up to you.


Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute
1111 West 8th Street, Suite 100
Juneau, Alaska 99801 
(907) 586-2902

If you have any questions about Alaska seafood write to ASMI at:

alaska_seafood%commerce@state.ak.us