The safest seafood

One important point is safe handling. As with any raw meat, cross-contamination should be avoided between fish and other foods. Washing your hands before and after handling raw fish is essential too. Cook your fish thoroughly. Defrost frozen fish in the refrigerator, not on the countertop. When buying, look for fish displayed on ice. The skin should be shiny and clear and the flesh resilient, not mushy.

The safest seafood? According to Purdue University: wild Alaska salmon, shrimp, farm-raised channel catfish and rainbow trout, flounder, perch, tilapia, clams, scallops and red swamp crayfish.

Find out more at www.cfsan.fda.gov or call 888-SAFE-FOOD.

"Bad fish good fish." Natural Health October, 2003: 19.