Receiving Fish & Shellfish

Conrad's Crabs & Seafood Market - Parkville - Conrad's Crabs
Tsukiji Fish Market, Tokyo | Ticket Price | Timings | Address: TripHobo

Receiving Fish and Shellfish

Simply purchasing fresh fish and shellfish does not Ensure that a quality product will be received. The condition of the product will determine menu quality and receiving is a critical point. The inspection should be done immediately when the product is delivered and before the truck leaves the premises. The receiver should check the items against the invoice. Damaged boxes and leakage should be noted on the delivery sheet. Instant read thermometers should be used. Weights need to be checked while the delivery person is present. Ensure that special specification provisions are followed in receiving live products.

The employee responsible for receiving fish and shellfish should be familiar with the following standards.

Fresh, whole or dressed fish:

  • Eyes should be clear, bright, bulging, with a black pupil; not dull, sunken, cloudy, or with a gray pupil.              
  • Gills should be bright red and free of slime; not brown or gray, or with a thick yellow mucus
  • Flesh should be firm, elastic to the touch, and tight to the bone; not soft and flabby, separating from the bone
  • Scales should be tightly adhered to skin, bright color, few missing; not dull with a large number missing
  • Belly cavity should be thoroughly eviscerated and washed, no blood; not with guts remaining, traces of blood, cuts
  • Odor should be ocean fresh, a slight seaweed smell; not strong “fishy”, putrid or ammonia smell
  • Note when buying fish directly from the dock, freshness may be determined by a fish still in rigor mortis (“stiff as a board”). This temporary stiffening and rigidity of muscles helps to maintain fresh-fish quality, because intense bacterial spoilage does not begin until after rigor mortis, with its high acid levels, has passed.
  • The standards listed above are typical, however every fish species is a little different when it comes to freshness. For example, halibut shows a translucent green slime up to 72 hours after it has been caught. Several species of fish will develop a yellowing of the belly meat as it ages. Some deepwater species, such as grouper, will have cloudier eyes.