FDA-Approved Ways of Selecting and Storing Seafood

Steven Armus is the owner of both Dermatology Consultants of Wisconsin and Native Prairie Restoration, where he serves as an environmental biologist and a prairie technician. A lover of great food, Steven Armus enjoys cooking seafood.

Fish and shellfish are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, compounds known to reduce the risk for cardiac disease. In fact, the US Department of Agriculture recommends that adults eat at least two servings of seafood per week.

In order to gain the full health benefits of eating seafood, however, there are several steps that the US Food and Drug Administration recommends consumers take when choosing and storing seafood:

- When buying, ensure that seafood is fresh. The smell of fresh seafood is usually characterized as mild, not sour and fishy. Avoid anything that smells like ammonia.

- Avoid frozen seafood that has been opened or that shows signs of frozen crystals.

- If you will eat the seafood within two days, it can be stored in the refrigerator. If you intend to keep it for longer than that, pack it tightly in plastic and store it in the freezer.