Live seafood needs three things: cool, moist conditions and enough air or oxygen. Each species has its own limits, so the best step is to ask the seller for instructions for the product and the expected time from delivery to cooking.

Crab

  • Keep in a cool place under a damp cloth or paper, in a ventilated box.
  • Do not soak mud crab in fresh water and do not seal it airtight.
  • Check daily and cook weaker crabs first.

Lobster

  • Restaurants should keep lobster in an aerated seawater tank with controlled temperature.
  • For short trips, keep cool and moist and avoid knocks that break antennae and legs.

Snails and shellfish

Keep cool, moist and ventilated, and cook soon. Discard any with open shells that do not close when touched.

Plan your orders

For restaurant kitchens, short and regular deliveries of live seafood usually keep quality better than one large delivery. For wholesale orders, a regular delivery schedule can be agreed when the price is quoted.