1. Chapter 6.3
Meat, Poultry, and Seafood

2. Seafood Inspections and Grades
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) monitors interstate fish shipments and also requires fish processors to adopt a HACCP program.
Many processors participate in a voluntary seafood inspection program conducted by the U.S. Department of Commerce (USDC). Products that have been inspected under this program carry a Processed Under Federal Inspection (PUFI) mark.
The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) publishes grades for seafood that has been inspected. Items are typically graded as A, B, C, or Below Standard. 2
6.3
Chapter 6 | Meat, Poultry, and Seafood 2

3. Forms of Seafood
Fin fish have a backbone and can live in fresh water or in the ocean. They are classified according to their shape, either round or flat:
Round fish have a round body shape and one eye on each side of the head, and they swim upright in salt water or fresh water.
Flatfish are oval and flat in shape and have two eyes on the front part of the head. 3
6.3
Chapter 6 | Meat, Poultry, and Seafood 3

4. Round Saltwater Finfish
Sea Bass
Herring
Cod
Mackerel
Grouper
Mahi Mahi
Haddock
Marlin
Monkfish (tail)
Shark
Orange Roughy
Snapper
Salmon (Atlantic)
Salmon (Pacific)
Swordfish
Tuna

6. Round Freshwater Finfish
Catfish
Striped Bass
Lake Perch
Lake Trout
Sturgeon
Tilapia
Trout
Walleyed Pike
Whitefish

7. Flat Saltwater Flatfish
Dover Sole
Halibut
Flounder
Turbot

9. Forms of Seafood
Shellfish have an outer shell but no backbone and live primarily in salt water:
Crustaceans have an outer skeleton and jointed appendages.
Crab
Shrimp
Crayfish
Lobster
Mollusks have one or two hard shells.
Scallops
Clams
Oysters
Mussels
Cephalopods have a single internal shell and tentacles.
Octopus
Squid

10. Purchasing Seafood
The guidelines for purchasing fresh seafood include:
Market form: Vendors can supply seafood to an operation in a number of ways.
Storage capabilities: Fresh seafood is highly perishable; therefore, adequate storage facilities are a must for seafood items to ensure as long a shelf life as possible.
Vendor selection: Considering the vast variety of seafood available, a reliable, reputable supplier is crucial.
Processed seafood might be an appropriate choice for an operation if it does not market menu items as “fresh caught.”
The market forms of fin fish include whole or round, drawn, dressed, butterfly fillet, fish fillet, and steak. 10
6.3
Chapter 6 | Meat, Poultry, and Seafood 10

11. Fabricating and Storing Seafood
Fin fish fabrication techniques consist of scaling, trimming, gutting, and filleting the fish.
Whole (Round)- As is
Drawn- the entrails have been removed
Dressed- entrails, head, fins, & scales removed
Fillet- Sides of a fish cut lengthwise away from the backbone; little to no bones
Though shellfish do not have bones or a skeletal system, they still need to be fabricated.
Shucking is the opening or removing of a mollusk’s shell.
Shrimp are cleaned by removing the shell and deveining them. Deveining is the process of removing a shrimp’s digestive tract.
Fresh fish is very sensitive to time-temperature abuse and can spoil quickly if it isn’t handled correctly.
Fish items are highly perishable, and so proper storage is very important. 11
6.3
Chapter 6 | Meat, Poultry, and Seafood 11

12. Cooking Techniques for Seafood
The best way to pair a fish with a cooking technique is to consider the flesh of the fish.
Fatty fish cut into fillets or steaks are the best cooked by baking, broiling, and grilling.
Lean fin fish and shellfish are best when using dry-heat cooking with fat and oil, such as sautéing, stir-frying, pan-frying, and deep-frying.
When deep-frying, the fish should be very fresh; the fat used to deep-fry should be of high quality; and the item should be served immediately after cooking.
Moist-heat cooking techniques—poaching, simmering, and steaming—are excellent ways to cook fish, especially the lean varieties. 12
6.3
Chapter 6 | Meat, Poultry, and Seafood 12

13. Determining Doneness
Guidelines for determining seafood doneness include:
Flesh turns from translucent to opaque: Raw flesh of most fish is translucent. When the flesh turns a denser, more opaque shade, the fish is done.
Flesh becomes firm: As flesh cooks, it becomes firmer and springs back to the touch when done.
Flesh pulls easily away from bone: As fish cooks, flesh loosens and can be effortlessly separated from bone when done.
Flesh begins to flake: As fish cooks, connective tissue breaks down and muscle fibers begin to separate from each other, or flake. Fish is done as soon as flaking starts to occur.
It is better to undercook the fish slightly and allow carryover cooking to bring it to doneness. 13
6.3
Chapter 6 | Meat, Poultry, and Seafood 13

14. Section 6.3 Summary
Many processors participate in the voluntary seafood inspection program conducted by the U.S. Department of Commerce (USDC).
The two main forms of seafood are fin fish and shellfish. Fin fish have a backbone and can live in fresh water or in the ocean. Shellfish have an outer shell but no backbone and live primarily in salt water.
The most important step in purchasing seafood is deciding on the type and quality of seafood that is needed for particular menu items.
Fin fish fabrication techniques consist of scaling, trimming, gutting, and filleting the fish.
Fish items are highly perishable, and so proper storage is very important.
Cooking methods for seafood include dry-heat, dry-heat cooking with oil or fat, moist-heat, and combination techniques. 14
6.3
Chapter 6 | Meat, Poultry, and Seafood 14