m a r i n e advice 



The Nose Knows Good Seafood 



Joyce Taylor has a nose for seafood. 



At fish markets from Cedar Island to 

 Salter Path in the county of Carteret, 

 Sea Grant's seafood education special- 

 ist can be seen sniffing the catch. 



What drives this woman to such a 

 nosey task? 



Taylor knows her nose never lies 

 when it comes to detecting freshness in 

 fish and shellfish. 



Fresh seafood has the odor of the 

 ocean — a briny aroma that smells of 

 salt spray and breaking waves. 



And only the freshest fish and shell- 

 fish will do for Taylor. She knows that 

 no amount of fancy preparation, cook- 

 ing or sauces can salvage a spoiled fish. 



Freshness is the basis for Taylor's 

 gospel of seafood cooking, a gospel 

 Taylor preaches in pamphlets, news- 

 letters, demonstrations and cooking 

 schools. 



In the face of recent media reports 

 questioning the quality and safety of 

 the fisherman's catch, Taylor says a 

 fresh product is usually a quality one. 

 And faced with a display case full of 

 fish and shellfish, consumers should 

 judge for themselves what is fresh and 

 what isn't, Taylor says. 



The first assessment of freshness 

 should be made with the consumer's 

 own nose. 



A fish that smells bad or fishy is 

 spoiling. Don't be embarrassed to ask 

 your fishmonger to smell any seafood 

 you propose to take home. 



Poor handling, which ususally 

 translates to inadequate cold storage, 

 can cause seafood's rapid deterioration 

 and bad smell. 



Taylor says spoiled fish is rarely a 

 health threat if thoroughly cooked, but 

 it can leave a bad taste in your mouth. 



But she warns that no amount of 

 cooking will destroy the harmful 

 histamines released by spoiled tuna. 



Taylor says not to buy fresh tuna 

 unless you are sure it has been 

 handled correctly. 



Taylor says to also take a hard look 

 at your prospective buy. 



In whole fish, the eyes should be 

 bright, clear and bulging. Eyes that are 

 sunken or cloudy are signs of spoil- 

 age, Taylor says. 



The skin on a fresh fish has a vivid 

 color. It is not dull, discolored, 

 blemished or covered with mucus. 



If the fish has already been steaked 

 or filleted, the flesh should be translu- 

 cent and moist. Fillets that look dry 

 have been improperly handled. 



Shellfish, such as clams, oysters 

 and mussels, should be alive at 

 purchase. This means no gaping 

 shells. Any bivalve with an open shell 

 is dead and should be discarded. 



Don't be shy. Ask your fishmonger 

 some questions, Taylor says. 



Quiz him or her about what is in 

 season, how long the fish and shellfish 

 have been in the display case, and 

 where the seafood was caught. 



Taylor says consumers should 

 examine how seafood is displayed. 

 Fish that is piled high or displayed 

 beneath warm lights should be 

 checked for spoilage. Ideally, fish 

 should be kept in individual contain- 

 ers placed directly on ice. 



And under no circumstances 



should cooked products, such as 

 surimi or seafood salads, be displayed 

 near raw fish or shellfish. 



And Taylor warns that some 

 consumers, especially pregnant women 

 and families with young children, 

 should avoid certain fish, such as Great 

 Lakes salmon, shark, swordfish and 

 lake whitefish, because they may be 

 high in PCBs. PCBs can be harmful to 

 a growing fetus and young children 

 under the age of six. 



Similarly, swordfish and tuna can 

 concentrate mercury. 



For others, consumption of these 

 fish should be limited to once a week. 



After selecting a mackerel steak or 

 flounder fillet for dinner, there are a 

 few things you should do to keep your 

 catch its freshest, Taylor says. 



Bring your seafood home immedi- 

 ately. Don't leave fresh seafood in a 

 hot car. 



At home, place the fish or shellfish 

 in the coldest part of the refrigerator. 

 This will maximize its shelf life, Taylor 

 says. But she advises that most seafood 

 should be consumed 24 to 36 hours 

 after its purchase. 



After handling seafood, wash your 

 hands, cutting boards and utensils 

 thoroughly to prevent cross-contamina- 

 tion. When grilling, be careful not to 

 use the same plate for raw and cooked 

 seafood. 



Taylor advises that all seafood 

 should be thoroughly cooked. Eating 

 raw fish and particularly shellfish is 

 inviting a health risk. 



For more information about fresh 

 fish, send for Taylor's pamphlet, 

 Hooked on Fresh Fish. The cost is 50 

 cents. Write Sea Grant, Box 8605, N.C. 

 State University, Raleigh, N.C. 27695. 



And don't forget: When it comes to 

 seafood, your nose knows best. 



Kathy Hart 



16 MARCH I APRIL 1992 



