immediately after it dies. Bacteria and oxidation join the enzymes almost at once to speed the

spoiling process. Cleaning and washing the seafood as soon as it is out of the water help to

reduce bacterial spoilage, but it doesn't slow down the enzymes and oxidation. The only thing

works is to quickly reduce its temperature to near freezing, or even lower. This is the critical step

that impacts the quality of all seafood more than anything else that happens from the time it

leaves its native waters until it is in your hands.

The muscles in seafood stiffen very quickly after death. Quality is highest if the

fishermen freeze it before this stiffening sets in, otherwise freezing can actually damage the

meat. They harvest farm-raised fish and shellfish under ideal conditions, and if they designate

them for the frozen seafood market, the freezing process is virtually immediate. This assures you

the quality of frozen farm-raised seafood.

Seafood spoils so rapidly that it is unlikely you get sick from eating it. If it is well-past

fresh, your nose gives you warning. It still may be safe to eat if well-cooked, but the flavor is

likely to be bad. Once it develops a really strong odor, it is no longer safe to eat, but by then you

are on your way to the nearest trash can.

How to store your catch

The seafood industry's motto is: Keep it Cold, Keep it Clean, Keep it Moving. Once you

buy fresh seafood, give it the same treatment. If you are planning to use it the same day, you are

keeping it moving. If you are planning it to appear on your table in a day or two, keep it as cold

as possible short of freezing. Have you noticed how seafood markets do it? If packaged, they

keep it in their coolers with the temperature set to just above freezing, around 34°F (1°C). (If you

want to check this, you can usually find a thermometer in a display case in a hidden corner.)

Most home refrigerators run closer to 40°F (5°C), a little too warm for seafood.

Now look at the fresh seafood display. Everything is sitting on a thick bed of ice—the

seafood is at the ideal near-freezing storage temperature. And that is easy to duplicate home. Just

set the seafood on a bed of ice in a pan and cover it. This is the best way to keep it for the

longest-lasting fresh flavor. The back of the bottom shelf of your refrigerator is the coldest, best

spot to store. Drain off melted water and replace ice daily. Fishing vessels keep their catch fresh

with the same method for up to 15 days.

The only seafood you should not store on ice are live crabs, lobsters and crayfish. They

prefer to be at 40°F (5°C), and they definitely don't want to be set on a bed of ice. Live soft-shell

crabs (since they don't have their coats on) opt for an even warmer climate, if they have a choice.

They should be between 50°and 55°F (10°and 13°C).

If you let seafood warm up above 40°F (5°C), the rate of deterioration increases rapidly.

On a warm day the temperature of a nice thin fillet can rise above that magic number between

the time it leaves the fish counter and when you tuck it into your refrigerator at home. Either take

a small cooler along with ice in it when you go shopping, or buy a small bag or two of some

frozen food that you can keep next to the fish on the way home.

To keep the seafood clean (the second part of the motto), handle it is little as possible and

only with absolutely clean hands so you are transferring little or no bacteria.

Frozen fish is much less troublesome to handle and store. A solidly frozen piece is not

likely to defrost much between the grocery store and home, even on a hot day. Here your

concern is to plan ahead so you can defrost the fish slowly in the refrigerator before cooking it

rather than on the kitchen counter, under running water or in the microwave. If you raise the

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