Common questions about using seafood safely and using this site.
Is frozen seafood lower quality than fresh seafood?
Not necessarily. Well-frozen seafood can be more consistent than a product labelled fresh that has spent several days in distribution. Inspect the package and follow thawing instructions.
What temperature should seafood reach?
Health Canada lists 70°C (158°F) for fish and 74°C (165°F) for shellfish and crustaceans. Follow current guidance for your location.
Can smell prove seafood is safe?
No. A bad smell is a reason to reject seafood, but a mild smell does not prove that harmful germs, toxins or allergens are absent.
Is citrus-cured fish cooked?
No. Citrus changes texture but does not reliably make seafood equivalent to thorough heat cooking.
Can I harvest mussels or clams from any beach?
No. Bivalve shellfish should come from approved open areas and legal sources. Closures can reflect bacteria, viruses or marine biotoxins.
Should live shellfish be stored in fresh water?
No. Follow official guidance: keep live bivalves cold and ventilated, generally in an open container covered with a damp cloth, not submerged in fresh water.
Can seafood be thawed on the counter?
No. Use the refrigerator, cold water in leak-proof packaging, or the microwave only when cooking immediately, subject to package directions.
Does freezing kill every raw-seafood hazard?
No. Freezing can control some parasites in certain fish, but it does not kill all harmful germs.
Can I use a boiling-water canner for fish?
No. Seafood is low-acid and requires a current tested pressure-canning process. Do not improvise jar size, equipment, pressure or processing time.
Does the site rank local seafood restaurants?
No. Restaurant menus, prices, inspections and ownership change. The site explains how to read a menu and what questions to ask.
Do the planning tools save my entries?
No. The current tools run in the browser and do not create server-side records or user accounts.
Why are Canadian temperatures used?
The publisher is Canadian, so Health Canada is the primary safety baseline. Readers elsewhere should follow their own current authorities.