Mussel Handling Procedures

By -

 

 

 

 

ALL CHEFS AND FOOD HANDLERS

PLEASE READ

***VERY IMPORTANT HANDLING INSTRUCTIONS***

 

THINGS ARE BEGINNING TO HEAT UP IN PARTS OF OUR DISTRIBUTION REACH. PREVENT MORTALITY IN YOUR

LIVE SHELLFISH PRODUCTS BY FOLLOWING THE INSTRUCTIONS BELOW. NO EXCEPTIONS!

 

  • Keep mussels buried in ice at all times in false bottom boxes or drip pans.

 

  • Keep mussels refrigerated at all times in false bottom boxes or drip pans.

 

  • Upon arrival, the mussels should be cold, wet, and nearly closed tight. If you notice the shell is gaping open, this is normal.

 

  • Try running cold water over the mussel and you will see the mussel close- sometimes immediately, sometimes over a period

of a few minutes. If it remains wide open, the mussel has died or is dying and you should avoid consumption.

 

  • Temperature is always an important factor, however it is even more critical during this time. When mussels are ready to reproduce,

increases in temperature or rough handling will cause them to release spawn.

 

  • If you do find that the mussels have spawned, take the bags out of the boxes and immediately rinse them off with FRESH, ICE

COLD WATER. Rinse and drain the bottom of the boxes before returning the mussels to the box. Ice the mussels down

with fresh ice and keep them as close to 35 degrees F as possible.

Critical control points are:

 

  1. Loading docks. Move product directly into coolers,

 

  1. Hot kitchens. Keep mussels iced and in the cooler until the time of preparation.

 

  1. Do not transport without ice or on non-refrigerated trucks.

 

Please take the time to pass this information and handling instruction on to your customers.

 

Information provided courtesy of American Mussel Harvestors, North Kingston, RI

 

 

 

 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Fish Yields - or - How Much Does This Really Cost Me?

By -
Image
I often find it necessary to explain the yield (amount of usable flesh) off of various fish. By knowing what percentage of meat will be available when a whole fish is filleted one can make an accurate analysis of; A. how much whole fish must be purchased and B. what is the true fillet cost. Knowing how to correctly perform these calculations will benefit not only seafood suppliers, restaurant chefs, but also the casual cook. Below is a list of some common fish and the net yield percentages. Actual percentages may vary depending on skill of the butcher. Salmon (head-on gutted) yields 75% skin-on fillet Snapper (head-on gutted) yields 40% skin-on fillet Mahi (headed and gutted) yields 65% skin-on fillet Monkfish (tail) yields 70% skinless fillet Cod (headed and gutted) yields 60% skin-on fillet Grouper (head-on gutted) yields 35% skinless fillet Halibut (headed and gutted) yields 66% skin-on fillet Tuna (headless bullets) yields 75% untrimmed loins Sword (headless bullets) yields 80% cen
Read more

Flounder and Sole: or A Fish By Any Other Name Would Still Taste as Sweet.

By -
Image
Ever wonder what the differences are between Sole and Flounder? Some customers recently asked me the question so I thought I would take a moment to shed a bit of light on the subject. Here in North America we have no true sole only flounders. When Europeans came to the Americas they called flounders soles because they looked like the fish they knew in the "old world". This has led understandably to much confusion over the years. The only true sole would be Dover Sole, Solea solea . Lemon sole is one of the names given to winter flounder, Pseudopleuronectes americanus , (also known as black back). Usually at the retail level when multiple flounder sku's are sold; flounder is the name given to the refreshed less expensive product, and sole (or lemon sole) is the name given to the more expensive fresh cut product. Fluke, Paralichthys dentatus also called summer flounder can also be sold as sole fillet. Sometimes there is a distinction
Read more

Sugar Toads, What? : Blowfish Tails Check

By -
Image
So Friday morning I am on the phone with one of the good old boy fish sellers in Maryland, and after hearing about how the Maryland DNC might be the ones "poaching" all those rock fish (wild striped bass) in ghost driftnets he finally gives me his catch list, and he just says it 'sugar toads'. So I had to look at the calendar and make sure it wasn't April 1st, because I hate to admit it but I have no idea what this is. He says "..you know theses little puffer tails". The lights go on in my head: BLOWFISH TAILS.....send me 50 lbs to sell and a couple for testing. I have to say these are one of this Fishmonger's favorite appetizing seafood specialties, and no they are not poisonous that is a different fish. I cannot wait until these jewels arrive Monday. I did a little research and it looks like they are a 'micro-trend' according to a recent article in Grubstreet declares this, who knew. So if you get the chance try some at the next chance you
Read more