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Quality Counts

A Consumer's Guide to Selecting North Carolina Seafood

fulchers seafood chaz chrissy

Fresh Cut Fish

What to Look For

  • Firm, elastic flesh
  • Translucent color
  • Moist appearance
  • Mild scent
  • Unexpired sell-by-date, if present

What to Avoid

  • Mushy or bruised flesh
  • Milky color
  • Dry or brown edges
  • Strong sour or “fishy” odor
  • Expired sell-by date, if present

Whole & Dressed Fish

What to Look For

  • Bright, shiny eyes
  • Bright red gills, if present
  • Firm, elastic flesh
  • Scales adhering tightly to skin
  • Smooth, glistening skin
  • Mild scent
  • Bright red bloodline in gut cavity

What to Avoid

  • Cloudy, sunken eyes
  • Pale or gray gills
  • Mushy flesh
  • Scales dull or missing
  • Excess slime on skin
  • Strong sour or “fishy” odor
  • Dark or brown blood line in gut cavity

Frozen Fish

What to Look For

  • Solidly frozen flesh
  • When thawed, passes same criteria as unfrozen fish
  • Tight, moisture-proof packaging
  • Product is visible, unmarred
  • Unexpired sell-by date, if present

What to Avoid

  • Partially thawed fish
  • Discolored flesh
  • Dry or papery edges
  • Torn packaging or crushed edges
  • Signs of ice crystals or freezer burn
  • Expired sell-by date, if present

Live Shellfish

What to Look For

  • Tightly closed shells; if open, they shut when tapped
  • Moist, intact shells
  • Mild scent

What to Avoid

  • Gaping shells; do not shut when tapped
  • Cracked, chipped, dry shells
  • Strong sour or “fishy” odor

Shucked Oysters

What to Look For

  • Plump, cream-colored meat
  • Free of shell bits and sand
  • Clear or slightly opaque liquid, less than 10% of volume
  • Mild scent

What to Avoid

  • Shriveled, dark, dry meat
  • Presence of shell or sand
  • Cloudy liquid
  • Strong sour or “fishy” odor 

Sea Scallops

What to Look For

  • Free of excess liquid
  • Creamy white, light tan or slightly pink appearance
  • Mild scent

What to Avoid

  • Strong sour or “fishy” odor
  • Shriveled, dry appearance 

Raw Shrimp

What to Look For

  • Translucent shells with grayish-green or tan coloration
  • Moist appearance
  • Firm flesh
  • Mild scent 

What to Avoid

  • Blackened edges or spots on shell (except spot prawns)
  • Red color along shell edges
  • Mushy flesh
  • Strong sour or “fishy” odor

Cooked Shrimp

What to Look For

  • Bright red shells
  • Firm meat texture

What to Avoid

  • Strong sour or “fishy” odor

Live Soft and Hard-shell Crabs

What to Look For

  • Show movement of legs and eyes

What to Avoid

  • Dead animals should be discarded

Cooked Crabs

What to Look For

  • Bright red color

What to Avoid

  • Strong sour or “fishy” odor

Cooked Crabmeat

What to Look For

  • White meat with slight red or brown pigments
  • Mild scent

What to Avoid

  • Grayish color or dry appearance
  • Excess shell or cartilage
  • Strong sour or “fishy” odor

For more information on North Carolina seafood markets, go to nc-seafood.org

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