Raw meat or seafood shouldn’t strike fear in your heart or discomfort in your digestive system. Following a few simple rules will ensure a safe, delicious meal.

Purchase the Freshest Meat Possible. Buy your fish at a seafood market and your beef at a butcher shop. Let the person behind the counter know that you will be eating this raw, and ask him or her to give you the freshest cut possible.

Look for Freshness Indicators. The flesh of the fish or beef should be firm and taut. Fillets should have a lustrous shine; they should not look dry or slimy. Once you get home, inspect the raw fish for parasites. A parasite is a tightly coiled, clear worm, one-half to three-quarters of an inch in length, that embeds itself in the flesh. If you find any, do not use the fish.

Refrigerate Protein for At Least an Hour Before Using It. This ensures the meat will be chilled all the way through, and will stay chilled while you prepare it. You can also chill the plates you will be using to serve, guaranteeing that your food stays cold while you’re eating.

Sanitize Your Cutting Board and All Utensils Before and After Cutting Raw Meat. First wash them in hot soapy water and rinse. Then soak them for two minutes in a disinfecting solution of one tablespoon of bleach for every gallon of water and let air-dry.