How
can you figure out if the fish is fresh?
The fish's
eyes should be clear and bulge a little. Only a few fish have
naturally cloudy eyes.
Whole
fish and fillets should have firm and shiny flesh. Dull flesh
may mean the fish is old. Fresh whole fish also should have
bright red gills free from slime.
If
the flesh doesn't spring back when pressed, the fish isn't
fresh.
There
should be no darkening around the edges of the fish or brown
or yellowish discoloration.
The
fish should smell fresh and mild, not fishy or ammonia-like. |
|
Always
buy seafood from reputable dealers and markets. Check the store’s
display. All fresh seafood should be stored at less than 5 degress
Celsius, which is maintained by refrigeration and/or ice. Fresh
seafood should feel cold to the touch, not
cool. Use your eyes, hands, and nose when selecting fish.
And
remember seafood is highly perishable. If you’re buying seafood
when shopping, make it one of your last purchases.
| How
to identify a safe seafood retailer? |
|
Based
on Australian Food Standards Code, here are some other points to
consider:
Employees
should be in clean clothing. They shouldn't be smoking, eating,
or playing with their hair. They shouldn't be sick or have any
open wounds.
Employees
should be wearing disposable gloves when handling food and change
gloves after doing nonfood tasks and after handling any raw seafood.
Fish
should be displayed on a thick bed of fresh, not melting ice, preferably
in a case or under some type of cover. Fish should be arranged
with the bellies down so that the melting ice drains away from
the fish, thus reducing the chances of spoilage.
What's
your general impression of the facility? Does it look clean? Smell
clean? Is it free of flies and bugs? A well-maintained facility
can indicate that the vendor is following good sanitation practices.
Is
the seafood employee knowledgeable about different types of seafood?
Can he or she tell you how old the products are and explain why
their seafood is fresh? If they can't, you should take your business
elsewhere.
| Seafood
Safety - How to keep Seafood |
|
It's
always best to cook fresh seafood within two days of purchase.
If that's not possible, here are some tips to help you store it:
• |
Whether
you've purchased fish or shellfish that's fresh or frozen,
always keep it cold. Never leave perishable items in a hot
car unless packed in ice or in an esky. |
• |
Handle
all seafood with care. Seafood with bruises or punctures will
spoil more
rapidly. |
• |
To
store fresh fish, remove from its package, rinse under cold
water and pat dry with paper towels. When fish sits in its
own juices, the flesh deteriorates more rapidly. To prevent
this place cleaned finfish, whole, fillets or steaks onto a
cake rack so that the fish do not overlap. Set the rack in
a shallow pan. If it is necessary to keep the fish more that
24 hours, fill the pan with crushed ice.Cover the pan with
plastic wrap or foil, seal tightly and refrigerate. Drain and
re-ice as necessary. Each day, rinse fish under cold water,
clean the rack and the pan and change the ice. If the fish
has a fishy or ammonia smell after being rinse,
it should be discarded. |
• |
Store
fresh seafood in the coldest part of your refrigerator (usually
under the freezer or in the meat keeper). Keep your refrigerator
temperature between 0 to 5 degrees Celsius, and your freezer
at minus 18 degrees Celsius or colder. Fish will keep twice
as long at 32 degrees as
it can be at 37 degrees. |
• |
Marinades
or rubs add great flavor. Marinate seafood under refrigeration.
Discard used marinade since it contains raw fish juices. |
• |
Use
your seafood purchases within 1-2 days. If not, freeze them.
However, do not refreeze previously frozen products because
the quality will
suffer. |
• |
Serve
cooked seafood on a clean platter. |
• |
Keep
raw and cooked seafood separate to prevent bacterial cross-contamination. |
• |
After
handling raw seafood, thoroughly wash knives, cutting surfaces, sponges
and your hands with hot soapy water. |
• |
Thaw
frozen seafood in the refrigerator, under cold running water
or in the microwave oven following the manufacturer's guidelines. Never
thaw seafood on the counter at room temperature. Thawing
at temperatures higher than 40 degrees causes excessive drip
loss and adversely affects taste, texture, aroma and appearance. |
• |
Allow
one day to defrost frozen seafood in the refrigerator. If pressed
for time, place the seafood in a re-sealable plastic storage
bag and immerse it in a pan of cold water in the refrigerator
for one to two hours per pound of seafood. A similar technique
is to put the original pack age in a plastic bag, place it
in a pan and run cold water on it in the
sink until thawed. |
• |
If
defrosting in the microwave follow manufacturer's directions
and use
immediately. |
• |
For
fish that is purchased forzen, it is recommended that it be
used within two months. If your home freezer door is opened
frequently, it is recommended that fish be used within two
weeks for optimum taste and nutrition. |
• |
If
you will not be using the fish within a day or so, it's best
to freeze it immediately. To do so, rinse the fish under cold
water and pat very dry with paper towels. First wrap the fish
tightly in plastic wrap, squeezing all the air out, and then
wrap tightly in aluminum foil and freeze. For best quality
of fish frozen at home, use within two weeks. |
• |
Always
wash hands thoroughly with hot soapy water before and after
handling
raw seafood or other raw protein foods. |
• |
Unless
thoroughly iced, don't leave seafood, raw or cooked, out of
the refrigerator. (Since ice leaches color and flavor from
fish, make certain that it does not come into contact with
the fish). |
• |
Before
cooking, rinse seafood under cold water to remove surface bacteria. |
• |
Always
marinate fish and shellfish in the refrigerator, never at room
temperature. Discard the marinade after use. |
• |
Make
sure that juices from raw seafood don't drip onto cooked foods;
this
leads to cross-contamination. |
• |
Use
separate utensils for sampling and stirring. Also use clean
utensils
and serving plates for cooked items. |
• |
Do
not reuse a dish cloth or sponge used to clean up raw juices
from fish
or shellfish without washing it first. |
• |
Replace
sponges and clean towels and dish cloths frequently. |
• |
Wash
counters, utensils, plates, cutting boards and other surfaces
touched by raw seafood with hot, soapy water before using them
for other
foods. This will prevent cross-contamination. |
If
you are in doubt about the safety of any food product-throw it
out!
|
