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Yes! When handled following guidelines set for all
perishable foods, seafood is as safe as or safer to eat than any other
protein source. Seafood has a strong safety record -- latest
assessments suggest that fishery products are implicated in less than one
percent of all foodbourne illnesses in the United States. For
healthy individuals, the nutritional benefits of seafood far outweigh
safety concerns. People with compromised immune systems, such as
those with liver disease, can also benefit from eating but need to take
extra precautions to thoroughly cook all fish and shellfish.
(Source: Dr. Robert J. Price, Seafood Safety, UCCE Sea Grant Extension
Program Publication 1990; News about Seafood Safety and Inspection,
National Fisheries Institute)
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In the past, shellfish were excluded from low cholesterol
diets because they were believed to be high in cholesterol. New
measuring techniques have indicated that cholesterol levels of many
molluscan shellfish are much lower than was previously thought. In
fact, bivalve mollusks such as clams, oysters, scallops, and mussels were
found to have a high percentage of non-cholesterol sterols present that
seem to have a beneficial effect. These sterols have been found to
inhibit the absorption of cholesterol eaten at the same meal.
Cholesterol levels in such crustaceans as crab and lobster
are similar to that found in the dark meat of chicken. While
cholesterol in shrimp varies considerably by species, it is generally 1½
to 2 times higher than in the dark meat of chicken, but far less than the
cholesterol present in eggs.
Most of the cholesterol in our bodies is manufactured by
our bodies. It didn't come from eating cholesterol, but rather from
eating too much saturated fat. Because shellfish contain very little
saturated fat, they are no longer excluded from typical low cholesterol
diets. So go ahead and enjoy eating shellfish.
(Source: Seafood for the Good Life... A Basic Introduction to Seafood
Nutrition with Recipes, National Fisheries Education and Research
Foundation)
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Always purchase seafood from a dealer who maintains high
quality. Trust your senses: the nose knows! Let your eyes
and nose be your guide. Fresh fish should have a fresh, mild
"ocean breeze" odor, and moist, firm, elastic flesh. When fish
age, the flesh softens and slips away from the bone.
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Whole fish should have clear, full, protruding eyes.
As the fish loses freshness, the eyes become cloudy, pink and sunken.
Gills should be bright red or pink. Fresh fish should be free of
slime.
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Fresh fillets should have a freshcut look with no traces
of browning or drying around the edges.
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Pre-packaged steaks and fillets should be tightly
wrapped. There should be no air space between the fish and the
wrapping material, and there should be no liquid in the package.
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Frozen fish should be solidly frozen with no
discoloration or drying (freezer burn) on the surface. Packaging
materials should not contain ice crystals.
(Source: Dr. Robert J. Price, Seafood
Safety, UCCE Sea Grant Extension Program Publication 1990; News about
Seafood Safety and Inspection, National Fisheries Institute)
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An average serving of fish is about three ounces, cooked.
Figure on ¼ pound of raw fillet per person. When buying whole fish,
figure on ¾ pound per person; for dressed, cleaned fish, figure ½ pound
per person.
An average serving of shellfish is 3 to 4 ounces of
shellfish meat. When buying live or cooked shellfish with the shell
on, figure the following amounts per person: whole crab and lobster, 1-2
pounds; unpeeled shrimp and whole squid, ½ pound; breaded shrimp, 4
to 6 pieces.
(Source: Seafood for the Good Life; A Basic Introduction
to Shellfish and A Basic Introduction to Fin Fish, National Fisheries
Education and Research Foundation)
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The fatty acids in seafood differ from those found in
plant and animal sources. A large percentage of the fat in seafood
is omega-3 fatty acids, a type of highly polyunsaturated fat found almost
exclusively in fish. Omega-3's discourage many processes involved in
heart disease:
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Omega-3's make blood clotting more difficult, thereby
preventing the attack itself.
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Omega-3 fatty acids relax our arteries, help keep them
from becoming clogged and improve blood circulation in the heart.
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Omega-3's can lower blood fats and blood pressure, which
makes a heart attack less likely. They also help keep arteries open
by discouraging the buildup of "plaque" in our blood vessels.
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Eating fish not only provides omega-3's but can lower
saturated fat intake. Both effects lower the risk of heart disease.
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Taking fish oil capsules, a short cut to obtaining dietary
omega-3's, actually increases our fat intake. (It has no effect on
our saturated fat intake). The safety of fish oil capsules has not
been adequately established. Fish liver oils contain high levels of
cholesterol and vitamins A and D, which are harmful in large amounts.
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In a study conducted at the University of Western
Australia among a group of overweight men who ate fish, took fish oil
capsules, or consumed neither for 12 weeks, the cholesterol level of men
who ate fish declined an average of 20 percent. Men who ate fish oil
reduced cholesterol levels an average of 14 percent. The men who ate
fish as part of a low-fat diet seemed to gain the most benefit.
These results confirm that there are greater benefits in sitting down to a
nice seafood dinner instead of popping a fish oil pill.
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In general, the higher the fat content of the fish, the
higher its omega-3 content.
High fat fish (more than 5% fat) include: salmon, mackerel,
albacore tuna, bluefin tuna, sablefish, sardines, herring, anchovies, shad
and trout.
Medium fat fish (2-5% - 5% fat) include: Atlantic halibut,
yellowfin tuna, mullet, swordfish, and bluefish.
Low-fat fish (less than 2.5% fat) include: cod, Pacific halibut,
pollock, rockfish, grouper, shark, flounder, sole, croaker, red snapper,
lingcod, seabass, haddock, and whiting.
(Source: Seafood for the Good Life... A
Basic Introduction to Seafood Nutrition, National Fisheries Education and
Research Foundation; Dr. Joyce A. Nettleton, D.Sc., R.D., Eat Fish and
Seafood Twice a Week: It Can Make a Difference)
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Delicate fish and tender fillets, such as sanddabs and
sole, are best poached, steamed or pan-fried. Medium dense fish,
such as halibut and rockfish, can be poached, panfried, or baked in foil
or sauce. Oily fish such as salmon, barracuda, tuna and mackerel, as
well as swordfish and shark, are all great on the grill. These fish
may also be baked in foil. Tuna and salmon are both delicious
steamed or poached when seved with a well-seasoned sauce. Of course,
any firm fish can be used for stews or chowders.
(Source: CA Basic Introduction to Fin Fish, National
Fisheries Education and Research Foundation)
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There's no secret to cooking fish properly. It's all
in the timing. Fish is done when the flesh has just begun to turn
from translucent to opaque or white and is firm but still moist.
Properly cooked fish should flake easily with a fork.
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Follow the 10 minute rule: cook fish 10 minutes per inch
of thickness, turning it halfway through the cooking process. Add 5
minutes of total cooking time if the fish is cooked in foil or cooked in
sauce. Double the cooking time for frozen fish that has not been
defrosted.
(Source: CA Basic Introduction to Fin
Fish, National Fisheries Education and Research Foundation)
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Fresh fish has a mild, fresh odor. If seafood is
fresh to begin with and is handled properly from the market to the home,
and refrigerated promptly at or below 40 degrees until cooked, it should
maintain that quality for 1 to 2 days. Ideally, fish should be
cooked the same day it is purchased.
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Assembly all of your cooking utensils and ingredients
before taking fish from the refrigerator to minimize the time it is
exposed to air at room temperature. If you're frying fish, be sure
the oil is fresh and at the proper temperature.
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Remember, if the fish doesn't smell before you cook it, it
won't smell fishy while it is being cooked. Always start with high
quality fresh fish and your house won't smell fishy.
(Source: Marciel Klenk, C.H.E., UCCE
home economist and youth advisor, Napa County, California)
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Seafood is "nutrient-dense". That means it
offers large quantities of protein and significant amounts of vitamins and
minerals without high levels of saturated fats and calories.
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Seafood is an excellent source of complete protein,
providing all the essential amino acids. The protein in seafood is
easily digestible, making it a perfect nutrition source for people of all
ages.
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Seafood is a good source of B vitamins and provides such
key minerals and trace elements as calcium, magnesium, potassium,
phosphorus, sulfur, florine, selenium, copper, zinc and iodine. All
these elements are necessary for proper development and growth.
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Seafood contains a very small amount of fat. Most
varieties of fish and shellfish contain less than 5 percent fat.
Even high-fat fish generally have less than 15 percent fat, which is
considerably lower than red meat. Seafood is also lower in saturated
fats than most other protein sources. By substituting fish meals for
some meat meals, you can considerably lower your total fat and saturated
fat intake.
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Seafood is generally low in sodium. Most fresh
finfish contain very low amounts of sodium, ranging from 60 to 100
milligrams per 100 grams, or 3 1/2 ounces of raw fish.
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Cholesterol levels are not significant in most seafood
products. Finfish are generally low in cholesterol, with shellfish
having low to moderate amounts. Even species with high cholesterol
levels, such as squid, contain less cholesterol than eggs, and are well
within the 300 mg daily limit recommended by leading health organizations.
(Source: Seafood for the Good Life...A
Basic Introduction to Seafood Nutrition, National Fisheries Education and
Research Foundation)
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Overseen by a combination of six federal and state
agencies, California's commercial fishing industry is one of the most
heavily regulated, inspected and monitored in the United States. In
California, the Food and Drug Branch of the California Deparment of Health
Services has primary responsibility for seafood safety in the state.
Regulations on the seafood industry include mandatory registration of all
California seafood processors and a mandatory annual inspection for
sanitation, packaging, proper temperature control procedures and other
public health concerns. A similar mandatory inspection is required
in markets and restaurants, with inspections performed by county health
deparment inspectors at least annually and often several times throughout
the year.
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Shellfish growing area are certified and regulated, and
California's local waters are monitored for biotoxins and chemical
contaminants. Also, the CDHS maintains strict requirements for
California canneries, including mandatory licensing and inspection of all
cooking processes. Each lot produced must meet five criteria before
it can be approved for sale.
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California's commercial seafood industry has also
participated in a voluntary state-of-the-art training and certification
program based on the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP,
pronounced HASS-IP) system. HACCP takes a proactive approach to food
safety with mandatory measures to prevent food safety hazards, rather than
trying to find and correct problems after the fact. Preventative
measures are applied at control points throughout the seafood handling
process, such as: point of receipt, storage conditions, cook and post-cook
preparation, and shipping-transportation. The HACCP program
establishes a record-keeping system and regularly monitors critical
control points, thus pinpointing potential problems before they occur.
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Although Americans enjoy one of the safest food supplies
in the world -- and seafood has a very strong safety record, implicated in
less than one percent of all foodborne illnesses in the United States --
consumers can expect even greater assurance that seafood is safe and
wholesome as a result of a tough new inspection program announced by the
U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 1994. The FDA now oversees an
industry-wide, mandatory HACCP-based inspection program for everyone who
handles, processes, and stores seafood, including overseas packers and
U.S. seafood importers. California's seafood industry has supported
the effort to provide even safer and more wholesome seafood across the
nation.
(Source: California Seafood Council,
National Fisheries Institute)
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Seafood is unlike beef in that it represents a tremendous
variety of species. Because of this, uniform grading standards
cannot be applied equally to all seafoods. However, uniform methods
of analysis are applied to all types of seafood and all aspects of
processing and preparation. Many of these have been adopted by the
FDA for use in the HACCP inspection program.
(Source: California Seafood Council, National Fisheries
Institute)
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