seafood

Seafood is any form of sea life regarded as food by humans, prominently including fish and shellfish. Shellfish include various species of molluscs (e.g. bivalve molluscs such as clams, oysters, and mussels and cephalopods such as octopus and squid), crustaceans (e.g. shrimp, crabs, and lobster), and echinoderms (e.g. sea urchins). Historically, marine mammals such as cetaceans (whales and dolphins) as well as seals have been eaten as food, though that happens to a lesser extent in modern times. Edible sea plants such as some seaweeds and microalgae are widely eaten as sea vegetables around the world, especially in Asia. In North America, although not generally in the United Kingdom, the term "seafood" is extended to fresh water organisms eaten by humans, so all edible aquatic life may be referred to as "seafood". For the sake of completeness, this article is inclusive of all edible aquatic life.
The harvesting of wild seafood is usually known as fishing or hunting, while the cultivation and farming of seafood is known as aquaculture or fish farming (in the case of fish). Seafood is often colloquially distinguished from meat, although it is still animal in nature and is excluded from a vegetarian diet, as decided by groups like the Vegetarian Society after confusion surrounding pescetarianism. Seafood is an important source of (animal) protein in many diets around the world, especially in coastal areas.
Most of the seafood harvest is consumed by humans, but a significant proportion is used as fish food to farm other fish or rear farm animals. Some seafoods (i.e. kelp) are used as food for other plants (a fertilizer). In these ways, seafoods are used to produce further food for human consumption. Also, products such as fish oil and spirulina tablets are extracted from seafoods. Some seafood is fed to aquarium fish, or used to feed domestic pets such as cats. A small proportion is used in medicine, or is used industrially for nonfood purposes (e.g. leather).

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  1. Morning Glory

    Recipe Spicy Vegan Tofu Seafood Cakes

    OK - I know its a contradiction; vegan recipes can't contain seafood. Strictly speaking maybe not, but these seafood cakes use seaweed which is a sea food, is it not? I fry the cakes first and then finish in the oven as I find they are apt to brown too much if just fried. Ingredients (makes 4...
  2. flyinglentris

    Recipe Seafood Fajita Burritos and Sweet Potato Dollars in Cream Crab Salsa

    This recipe uses the leftover ingredients from the Seafood Chakchouka recipe and other stuff. It demonstrates just what can be done with leftovers. The ingredients, as has been stated, are mostly leftovers ... Procedure: 1) Julienne cut about 3 slices of White Onion and one large...
  3. flyinglentris

    Recipe Seafood Chakchouka

    Seafood what? ?? I was waiting for a haircut I think, and I picked up this cooking magazine and while paging through came across this curious article about something called Shakshouka. It had tomatoes, onion, peppers, cumin and couple of eggs. Finding myself lamenting at the lack of meat in...
  4. The Late Night Gourmet

    Cheese with Seafood: Good, Bad, or Indifferent?

    I've done a lot of research into the whole Never Pair Seafood with Cheese phenomenon. Maybe more than I should have, but my heritage (my dad was born in northern Italy) all but requires me to understand it. This is something that seems to have started with my ancestors, but there is some debate...
  5. The Late Night Gourmet

    Why do seafood have so many different names for the same thing?

    I'm just exiting a lively discussion that was sparked over alternate names for Monk Fish. The post was mostly a recipe, but that part of the post is what ignited the sparks. But, that also made me realize how confusing the naming of food under the sea really is. Here's what I found about...
  6. Spaghetti with seafood

    Spaghetti with seafood

    Spaghetti with mussels, prawns, cherry tomatoes.
  7. N

    Trying to learn something about Asian seafood seasoning

    Hi, I've been to several Chinese/Asian(?) buffets over the years and especially like the "seafood delight" that they offer. They are certainly not all the same... the first one I enjoyed had fake crab, shrimp, mushrooms, water chestnuts, broccoli, and whatever else. Others have had the same or...
  8. Lullabelle

    Recipe Prawn Cocktail

    This recipe is an old favourite, prawn cocktail. The best one I have ever had was in Thailand, a big cocktail glass was filled with shredded white cabbage, the sauce was quite dark and tangy, and the prawns sitting on the side of the glass were the biggest I have ever seen. Not the most original...
  9. Lupa06

    Recipe Fish Stew

    I am a huge seafood and fish lover, I also love soups and stews of any kind. With the holidays just around the corner, I have been racking my brain on what kind of fish/seafood dish I can make (fish is a big tradition for the holidays). While sitting around doing a puzzle with my twins, it...
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