How To: Prepare fish fillets safely to avoid exposure to contaminants

The Fish Contamination Education Collaborative (FCEC) has made this video to reach the public about fish preparation safety, to make su. It's important to prepare fish in a certain way, because some species of fish have contaminants that pose health risks. Those contaminants are stored in the fatty portion of the fish, so by cleaning and cooking the fish in a certain way, you can reduce your exposure to those toxins.

Watch and learn the proper steps to filleting a fish, which starts with a swift cut right by the head of the fish. The next cut is all the way down the back, but that's not the end of it. See the whole process to cutting a fish fillet the safe way.

FCEC is committed to protecting public health from the consumption of contaminated fish in Southern California. While white croaker, barred sandbass, black croaker, topsmelt and barracuda SHOULD NOT be eaten, the skinless fillets of other fish can be eaten once a week. To protect your health, check out this video which explains the guidelines to follow when preparing fish caught between Santa Monica Pier and Seal Beach Pier. But this information really applies for anywhere!