Many inland fish farms were built on old agricultural lands with high levels of pesticide residues and contaminants that now leach into the waters used for raising certain types of fish, including lake trout and catfish. Limit fatty fish such as salmon and swordfish. Most chemical contaminants concentrate in the fatty tissues of fish over time. So choose small, young fish, and lean varieties such as cod, flounder, haddock, Pacific halibut, ocean perch, pollock and sole. Watch out for raw shellfish-it's responsible for up to 85 percent of all seafood poisonings.
Shellfish often sit in polluted estuaries where rivers and oceans meet.
There, they are exposed to viruses, bacteria and other disease-causing microorganisms that can be destroyed only with thorough cooking. Part II As important as it is to know how to select a safe variety of fish, it's also vital to make sure that your choice is fresh. According to the FDA, nearly 50 percent of seafood-borne illnesses could be prevented with proper handling. Follow Your Nose. Fresh ocean fish have a mild ocean smell and fresh inland fish smell like cucumbers.