He fish fresh or frozen is one of the healthiest foods that we can add to our diet, but it is also one of those that deteriorates the fastest. Nobody wants to throw away food, especially when prices for this product rise the most, but it is better to be safe than sorry. If the fish you have at home has a suspicious lookingIt’s not worth taking the risk.
Being their natural habitat water, salty or fresh, at the moment in which we bring the fish to the surface, they already begin to lose quality. It will do it little by little at first, accelerating the process when the animal dies, and we can extend the conservation for a certain time if the Cold chain. However, already from the deck of the ship or leaving the fish farm it begins to deteriorate.
The very characteristics of the fish and its enzymes, plus the action of oxygen, light and bacteria, cause it to spoil. It’s a food very perishable that should always be kept cold, tightly covered and insulated from the outside, preferably in a clean hermetic container, in the coldest part of the fridge and without coming into contact with liquids or other foods.
How to recognize bad fish
First of all, remember. When was that fish bought? If more than 48 hours, it is not convenient to risk it, since the health authorities and food safety experts recommend not extending its conservation beyond two days. If it is exposed to the air inside the refrigerator, keep the viscera or it is very hot, even worse.
Although we are still in the safe time frame, even if it was purchased that same day, look at the possible signs that can alert of its poor condition:
A very strong smell, unpleasant even, which can smell of putrefaction and ammonia. Not to be confused with the salty marine smell of fresh sea fish, although the animal itself, freshly caught, does not smell.
scales turned offwhich fall off on their own, like withered or very dry.
Eyes sunkgray, without color or shine.
The soft and leathery skin It is a clear warning sign. And if we already have it without skin, a viscous, gelatinous meat, with very little firmness and smoothness, opaque, translucent or grayish in color, indicate the bad condition.
Guts pale and dull in color: a good fresh fish exhibits bright red gills. If they are brown or greyish and stick together, that is a bad sign.
The color of the meat will depend on each species, so we have to take into account what fish it is, remembering that not all salmon should be a deep orange. But colorations in strange tones such as grey, brown or green, should make us suspicious.
How to act
When in doubt, it is always preferable avoid possible greater evils, because it is not worth putting your health at risk just for not throwing away some strange-looking hake fillets.
Avoid poisoning by discarding the fish, preferably in a organic containerin a tightly closed bag, and clean and disinfects all surfaces and tools that have come into contact with the product. It’s not a bad idea to wear food-grade gloves when handling raw fish, and always work with care for cross-contamination.
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Photos | mdjaff – freepik
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