Fish and seafood

What this area covers

In the Red Seal Occupational Standard for Cook, fish and seafood is major work activity J. Its 2 tasks carry these shares of the exam, according to the official exam breakdown:

Free fish and seafood practice questions

Try these exam-style questions, then open each one to check your answer and read why it is right.

1. Question 1 · Task J-27

   Which of these fish is a flat fish?

   • A.Cod
   • B.Pickerel
   • C.Halibut
   • D.Salmon
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   Answer: C. Halibut

   Halibut is a flat fish: it swims on one side, with both eyes on its dark upper side and a white underside. Cod, pickerel and salmon are round fish, with one eye on each side of the head.

2. Question 2 · Task J-28

   A cook is poaching shrimp and searing scallops for a seafood pasta. What minimum internal temperature must the shellfish reach?

   • A.63°C
   • B.70°C
   • C.74°C
   • D.82°C
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   Answer: C. 74°C

   Health Canada's safe internal temperature for shellfish such as shrimp, scallops, lobster and crab is 74°C. 70°C is the value for fin fish, 63°C is the minimum for whole cuts of beef, veal and lamb, and 82°C is for whole poultry.

3. Question 3 · Task J-27

   A cook is checking a whole rainbow trout at receiving and presses the side of the fish with a finger. Which result shows the fish is fresh?

   • A.The flesh springs back and the dent disappears
   • B.The dent stays in the flesh
   • C.The flesh feels soft and slightly sticky
   • D.Liquid seeps out of the belly
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   Answer: A. The flesh springs back and the dent disappears

   Fresh fish has firm, elastic flesh that springs back when pressed. A dent that stays, or soft, sticky flesh, shows the fish is ageing and the muscle is breaking down.

4. Question 4 · Task J-28

   A bag of live mussels arrives. A few are gaping open, and when the cook taps them they stay open. What should the cook do?

   • A.Discard the open ones that do not close, and use the tightly closed ones
   • B.Use them all, since they will open when cooked anyway
   • C.Soak the open ones in fresh water overnight to revive them
   • D.Cook the open ones first, since they are the oldest
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   Answer: A. Discard the open ones that do not close, and use the tightly closed ones

   A live mussel closes its shell when tapped. One that stays open is dead or dying and is discarded, because dead shellfish spoil fast and cooking does not make them safe. Fresh water kills saltwater shellfish rather than reviving them.

5. Question 5 · Task J-27

   A cook receives six whole fresh cod for tomorrow's service. What is the best way to store them?

   • A.Wrapped tightly in plastic wrap on the top shelf of the walk-in cooler
   • B.Submerged in a tub of cold tap water on a low shelf of the walk-in
   • C.On a sheet pan at the front of the reach-in, where they are easy to grab
   • D.On crushed ice in a perforated pan set over a drip pan, in the walk-in
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   Answer: D. On crushed ice in a perforated pan set over a drip pan, in the walk-in

   Crushed ice keeps fish close to 0°C, and a perforated pan over a drip pan lets meltwater drain away so the fish never sits in water, which softens the flesh and washes out flavour. Ice can also be packed into the belly cavities. Raw fish belongs below ready-to-eat food, not on the top shelf, and a sheet pan at the front of the reach-in is one of the warmest spots.