Abstract: A process for preparing shellfish for storage comprising the steps of vacuum packing live shellfish within a suitable container and then heating the shellfish to a temperature of between 80° C. and 110° C. and a pressure of between 0.8-2.0 kgf/cm2, said temperature and pressure level being sufficiently high to pasteurize the shellfish while preventing substantial expansion of the container yet sufficiently low so as to minimize vaporization of internal juices and preventing substantially all of the shellfish meat from becoming mushy, thereby maintaining substantially all of the natural juices of the shellfish within the shells and maintaining any inadvertently escaped juices to remain in association with the shellfish from which it originated and within said container, said container being suitable for freezing and transport so that both the shellfish and any inadvertent juices remain together during transport.