When buying seafood and fish, many times you have the
option of buying it fresh or frozen. But is the frozen
seafood as good as fresh? Well, with technological
advances, today it’s possible to immediately process and
freeze fresh catches, usually right on the fishing vessel.
The process of flash-freezing is employed - in which the
water contained inside the food items is subjected to very
low temperatures (below its melting/freezing point),
causing water inside the foods to freeze in a very short
period of time. Therefore, frozen seafood can even be
superior in quality to fresh seafood products.
So, if you live in a place where you can’t easily find a
fresh seafood seller, buying frozen seafood and fish is a
great option. Many people buy frozen fish and seafood for
practical reasons. If you spontaneously decide to prepare
a seafood recipe, you always have something in your
freezer, you don’t have to worry about going shopping,
and you can also take advantage of store seafood sales.
Frozen or fresh, you should pay attention to certain
aspects when buying seafood. Below you are some tips
the experts use to select fish or seafood:
option of buying it fresh or frozen. But is the frozen
seafood as good as fresh? Well, with technological
advances, today it’s possible to immediately process and
freeze fresh catches, usually right on the fishing vessel.
The process of flash-freezing is employed - in which the
water contained inside the food items is subjected to very
low temperatures (below its melting/freezing point),
causing water inside the foods to freeze in a very short
period of time. Therefore, frozen seafood can even be
superior in quality to fresh seafood products.
So, if you live in a place where you can’t easily find a
fresh seafood seller, buying frozen seafood and fish is a
great option. Many people buy frozen fish and seafood for
practical reasons. If you spontaneously decide to prepare
a seafood recipe, you always have something in your
freezer, you don’t have to worry about going shopping,
and you can also take advantage of store seafood sales.
Frozen or fresh, you should pay attention to certain
aspects when buying seafood. Below you are some tips
the experts use to select fish or seafood:
Frozen Seafood Buying Tips
- Frozen fish and shellfish should be packaged in
- a close-fitting, moisture-proof package. Don't buy
frozen seafood if its package is open, torn or
crushed on the edges.
- Select packages from below the load line of the
freezer case in the store's freezer.
- Avoid the package defrosting during transporting it
home. You can transport seafood in an ice-packed
cooler from the store to your home.
Fresh Seafood Buying Guidelines
The first aspect you should consider when buying fresh or
seafood has to do with the seafood seller/store. Pay
close attention to the cleanliness, appearance and smell
(strong fishy odor is a sign of spoilage). As general rule,
fresh fish and seafood should be stored at 32 degrees
Fahrenheit, which can be kept by refrigeration or ice.
Besides that, when selecting fresh fish or seafood pay
attention to the following characteristics that indicate the
freshness of the product, in order to safely enjoy their fine
taste and good nutrition:
The first aspect you should consider when buying fresh or
seafood has to do with the seafood seller/store. Pay
close attention to the cleanliness, appearance and smell
(strong fishy odor is a sign of spoilage). As general rule,
fresh fish and seafood should be stored at 32 degrees
Fahrenheit, which can be kept by refrigeration or ice.
Besides that, when selecting fresh fish or seafood pay
attention to the following characteristics that indicate the
freshness of the product, in order to safely enjoy their fine
taste and good nutrition:
- Fish should smell fresh and mild, not fishy or
ammonia-like.
- The eyes of a fresh fish should be clear,
bright and a little protruding. Cloudy, pink
- and sunken eyes indicate the fish has lost its
freshness.
- The gills of the fish should be bright red or
pink and free from slime.
- Fresh fish should have firm and elastic flesh.
Test it by delicately pressing the flesh with
your finger. It should spring back.
- Fish with shiny skin and scales that adhere
tightly is another indicator of freshness.
- Fish Fillets should have firm and elastic flesh,
a fresh-cut, moist appearance, and displaying
no darkening or drying around the edges.
There should be little evidence of bruising or
reddening of the flesh from retention of blood.
In addition, prepackaged fish fillets should
contain a minimum of liquid because when
seafood is stored in liquid, it deteriorates
quickly.
Fresh Fish
Buying Tips
Buying Tips
fresh shellfish should have unbroken shells and
should be closed. If the shells gape slightly, tap
them - the shells should close up. If they do not
close up, throw them away.
The shells of fresh, live shellfish should be shiny
and moist. They should smell sweet and mild, like
a fresh sea breeze.
Fresh lobster and crabs are also sold live,
because they spoil quickly when they die. Thus
when selecting them, they should show leg
movement (they will not be very active if they have
been refrigerated, but they should move at least a
little bit).
Raw shrimp meat should be firm and should smell
mild. The shells should not have blackened edges,
black spots or other dark areas, because this
indicates loss of freshness.
When buying fresh squid, select those with clear
and full eyes, the skin should be cream-colored
with reddish brown spots (when they start losing
freshness the skin turns pinkish) and the meat
should be very firm.
Fresh shucked oysters should have a fresh smell.
A clear slightly milky or light grey liquid should
surround freshly shucked oysters.
And last but not least, when shopping, buy your
fresh fish or seafood last - and then take them
home straight away to store them appropriately.
should be closed. If the shells gape slightly, tap
them - the shells should close up. If they do not
close up, throw them away.
The shells of fresh, live shellfish should be shiny
and moist. They should smell sweet and mild, like
a fresh sea breeze.
Fresh lobster and crabs are also sold live,
because they spoil quickly when they die. Thus
when selecting them, they should show leg
movement (they will not be very active if they have
been refrigerated, but they should move at least a
little bit).
Raw shrimp meat should be firm and should smell
mild. The shells should not have blackened edges,
black spots or other dark areas, because this
indicates loss of freshness.
When buying fresh squid, select those with clear
and full eyes, the skin should be cream-colored
with reddish brown spots (when they start losing
freshness the skin turns pinkish) and the meat
should be very firm.
Fresh shucked oysters should have a fresh smell.
A clear slightly milky or light grey liquid should
surround freshly shucked oysters.
And last but not least, when shopping, buy your
fresh fish or seafood last - and then take them
home straight away to store them appropriately.
Fresh mussels, oysters, clams
are sold live, because when
they die their internal organs
start to deteriorate. This way,
are sold live, because when
they die their internal organs
start to deteriorate. This way,
Fresh Shellfish Tips
