8 easy steps to check the quality of fish

Fish is one very delicate meat that gets spoilt very easily. The fish meat or sea food meat is perishable in nature and contains a high amount of proteins, which makes it a heaven for the microorganisms to party on. So, it is imperative to store it properly and be very vigilant for any sign of spoilage. Read on to know how you can access if the fish is no more fit for consumption.

Fish meat should always be stored in a freezer or a refrigerator until you use it. If not stored in correct physical conditions, fish meat can spoil very easily making it unfit for consumption. It is very important to check the labels and printed details on the food packages before adding raw fish meat to your grocery cart.

To save yourself from getting food poisoning, try to stay clear of the spoilt fish and carefully access the fish before you use it. Here are the easy steps to check the spoiling of fish.

Read the label carefully. There is just no excuse for you to pick up fish that has already or is about to turn bad. Raw fish doesn’t have a long shelf life even in the refrigerator. So, you must throw away the raw fish meat which has been stored in the refrigerator for more than a day or two.

Cooked fish has a longer shelf life than raw fish. You may store cooked fish in an airtight container and then refrigerate it for 5 to 6 days. After that, it needs to be discarded.

Use freezer to store fish. The frozen fish either cooked or raw can be stored for good 6 to 9 months, whereas, frozen smoked salmon will last mere 3 to 6 months.

Inspect the fish well before using. Discard the raw fish with a slimy outer coating and slippery touch. However, cooked fish will not get a slimy coating even after turning bad. Edible fish have a firm touch and unexpectedly soft and mushy fish are more likely to be expired.

Smell the fish aroma. The fish that has started to go bad, even in the refrigerator, will have an increased pungent fishy aroma that with time will turn to putrid and then rotten smell. It is best to throw away the pungent smelling fish meat.

Check the color of raw fish. As the fish ages in the refrigerator and starts to turn bad, its color will turn from light pink or white to glossy and milky. With time this decaying fish will eventually turn from milky to blue or greyish. The white lines of salmon tend to get discolored and turn dark on getting spoilt.

Check for freezer burns. If stored in the freezer for more than 9 months, fish begins to show crystalline ice peaks and discolored freezer burns. This may technically not harm your body but will take away the fish eating experience.

Notice white lines. Some variety of fish such as salmon has white lines, which disappear or turn grey as the fish continues to spoil.