seafood may be delicious, but it must also be stored properly to preserve its quality and prevent food-borne illnesses. While all food should be handled safely, seafood has particular requirements due to how it reacts with heat and cold, its delicate textures, and tendency for spoilage more quickly than other food. By following these simple protocols both fresh and frozen seafood will remain safe to enjoy for as long as possible.
Once Purchased
Seafood should be immediately stored both in the fridge and freezer after being purchased to preserve both texture and flavor, while freezing helps maintain quality and freshness for years afterward. An optimal temperature range for fresh seafood would be between 32-38 degrees F while for frozen foods the ideal temperature would be zero degrees or below.
Store seafood on the bottom shelf of your refrigerator, away from meats and produce, to prevent its juices or sauces from contaminating other foods and hastening their spoilage. When freezing seafood, do so without touching other foods to prevent freezer burn and protect against any ice crystals that form during freezing process.
When purchasing fresh seafood, make sure that it is packed in an airtight container to seal out airborne contaminants and moisture-proof packages or aluminum foil to store in your freezer. If it isn’t, repackage before placing in the freezer.
If you are purchasing live shellfish such as mussels and clams, place them in a clean shallow pan, cover with a dry cloth or paper towel, and refrigerate. Clams, oysters, and mussels that are alive should close their shells when tapped; any that don’t do this indicate death and should be discarded immediately.
Marinated fish can be stored in the fridge for two days if its marinade has been drained off and it is wrapped tightly. Lean fish such as panfish and walleye typically last longer in this regard than fatty ones like trout.
Cooked seafood should only be left out at room temperature for up to two hours at most, though ideally you should consume it within this time frame. Bacteria that cause illness grow quickly at temperatures between 40 and 140 degrees F; any cooked seafood left out for longer than this could become unsafe to eat.
When handling raw seafood, make sure to wash your hands for 20 seconds with soap and warm water before and after handling it. Also make sure that cutting boards, dishes, and utensils are regularly washed to avoid cross-contamination; and always serve cooked seafood on clean plates instead of plates used previously for raw seafood handling. For more information about selecting, storing, and serving seafood safely visit FDA’s fact sheet: “Safely Selecting, Storing, and Serving Seafood”.