Seafood Seafood- edible finfish and shellfish Types and Market Forms of Fish and Shellfish: Finfish- have fins, a bony skeleton, and a backbone Shellfish- no fins or bones but have a shell Freshwater Fish- Inland waters such as lakes, ponds, and rivers Saltwater Fish- (seafood) Waters such as oceans and seas Today many fish farms are able to raise both

Types of Fish Light color, mild flavor, and tender texture: Catfish, Cod, Flounder, Haddock, Halibut, Perch, Pike, Pollock, Pompano, Red Snapper, Sole, Trout, Turbot, Whitefish Dark color, more pronounced flavor, and firm texture: Bluefish, Mackerel, Salmon, Swordfish, Tuna

Market Forms of Fish Drawn- Whole fish w/ scales, gills, and internal organs removed Dressed or Pandressed- “Drawn” fish w/ head, tail, and fins removed Filets- Sides of fish cut lengthwise away from bones and backbone (usually boneless) Steaks- Cross sections cut from large dressed fish (may contain bones)

Shellfish Mild, sweet flavor Mainly found in oceans and seas but some from freshwater Two types- crustaceans & mollusks Crustaceans- long bodies w/ jointed limbs/ covered w/ shells Crabs- Round shell, eight legs, two claws; sold live, cooked, or frozen Crayfish- (freshwater) “crawfish” look like small lobsters Lobster- long, jointed body w/ 4 pair of legs & 2 lg. Claws, all covered w/ a hard shell Average weight is 1 ¼ lb.- 2 ¼ lb. Fresh lobster is sold and cooked live Maine is the most popular place for fresh lobster Shrimp- vary in size and color, usually sold frozen or previously frozen, raw or cooked Mollusks- soft bodies covered by at least 1 shell Clams Mussels Oysters Scallops Squid (calamari)

Inspection & Grading FDA- Food and Drug Administration & National Marine Fisheries Service of the US Dep’t of Commerce

Buying & Storing Fish & Shellfish Buy from a reliable source Display of fish Be sure that ice is covering all of the fish Ready-to-eat fish should not be directly next to fresh fish Appearance and aroma Fresh fish- shiny skin & mild aroma/ skin should spring back when touched Shellfish- must be live to be fresh If fish smells “fishy” it is NOT good Store fish in refrigerator (1-2 days) or freezer immediately Do not put saltwater shellfish in fresh water

Market Forms…. Fresh- HOW FRESH IS FRESH??? Frozen- usually sold as filets/ must thaw in refrigerator Canned- tuna, salmon (oil vs. water) Cured- smoked, pickled, salted