 |
Safe Sea Food
Eating seafood can be nutrition's, tasty and safe. Poorly prepared seafood can make people sick. This guide is intended to prevent illnesses from unsafe food.
When Choosing Seafood
• Buy seafood only from reputable sources. • Only buy fresh seafood that is refrigerated or properly iced. • Don't buy cooked seafood if it is displayed next to raw fish. • Don't buy frozen seafood if packaging open or damaged. Avoid packages above the freezer frost line. • Look for ice crystals inside transparent packages this may indicate freeze/thaw cycle. • Put seafood on ice on refrigerate immediately after purchase.
Storing Perishables
Avoid packing food too tight in freezer.
• Discard shellfish (lobster, crabs, oysters, and mussels) if they die during storage on if shells crack. Live shellfish close up when shell tapped.
Preparing Seafood
• Wash hands with soap and water. • Thaw frozen seafood, meat and poultry in refrigerator. • Gradually defrost overnight. If thawing quickly-seal in plastic bag and immense in cold water for 1hr. or microwave on defrost setting. For fish shop defrost cycle white fish is still icy but pliable. • Marinate food in refrigerator not on counter. Discard marinate because it contains raw juices, which may have bacteria. If you want to cue a marinade later as a dipping sauce separate a portion for use later and discard the actual part used for marinating.
• Do not allow cooked food to contact with raw products. • Use separate cutting boards and utensils. Wash between uses.
Cooking
Meat should be cooked to an INTERNAL TEMPERATURE of 160 o F or 70 o C, using a proper meat thermometer.
Other Temperatures
Pork-160 o F, whole poultry-180 o F, poultry breasts 170 o F, ground chicken 165 o F.
Seafood should be cooked, especially for “at-risk” people (see following). Seafood is recommended to be cooked at 145 o F 15 sec.
Other ways to determine seafood cooking time:
Fish- stop sharp knife and pull aside. Edges should be opaque and centre translucent with flakes beginning to separate. Let fish stand 3-4 min. to finish cooling.
Shrimp, lobster, and scallops: Check color. Shrimp/lobster turn red and flesh turn opaque. Scallops turn milky white/ opaque and firm. Clams, mussels and oysters-are done when their shells open. Throw away those who remain closed.
Microwaving- Rotate dish to ensure even cooking. Follow standing timer and use meat thermometer.
Serving
• Keep hot foods hot (140 o F, 60 o C higher) and cold foods cold (40 o F, 5 o C or lower). • Do not keep food unrefridgerated on unfrozen for more than 2 hrs.
Using a Cutting Board Correctly to Prevent Cross-Contamination
• Use a smooth cutting board of hard maple or plastic, free of cracks. Avoid boards of soft porous material. • Wash boards with hot water and soap. Scrub to remove food particles. Sanitize with using a dishwater or rinse with bleach 5ml in 1L.
Always sanitize boars after cutting raw foods.
Consider one board for raw fish only and another for breads, fruit and cooked foods.
‘High-Risk People'
Some people with chronic medical conditions cue more susceptible to infections from seafood and include:
• Chronic liver diseases • Hematochromatosis • Diabetes • Stomach Illnesses • Cancer • Immune disorder, HIV • Long-term steroid use.
These people should not eat raw seafood, only seafood that is cooked.
Reference:
U. S. Food and Drug Administration FDA Consumer. November-December
1997, Revised June 2002 and January 2003.
|
|
|
