How to Tell if Fish Is Fresh

Eyes are sunken and dull. Gills are brownish or yellowish. Pupils are cloudy. It's not difficult to recognize fresh fish, but it is essential not only for don't waste money, with a fictitious quality, but also for not to run any risk to our health. Spoiled fish, in fact, can do a lot of damage to our body. Unfortunately, there are various techniques on the market that allow you to defraud consumers, presenting characteristics of the fish which in fact don't exist. One of the most sensational cases is tuna, which is reinvigorated with the use of carbon monoxide. As always, the difference is made by the eyes. But not only that. It's our gaze, combined with certain precautions, that helps us choosing the right fish, not to waste money and not to fall into some trap. On the other hand, we should be expert consumers, given that in Italy we eat, every year, an average of 28 kilos of fish products per person, compared to the 25 kilos of the European average. Other important signs to recognize the freshness of fish are: the smell of the gills of Seaweed; brightly colored skin, without discoloration; the skin mucus, on the surface of the fish, is watery and transparent; scales adhere to the skin. Yet we are so skeptical about the quality of Italian-made fish that 70 percent of Italians now prefer to buy it at the supermarket. Too many hoaxes, too many scams, too many risks: and so we do serious damage to our fishermen and waste the opportunity to eat products that by their nature must be genuine.

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How can you tell if it's fresh?

Recognizing fresh fish is not difficult, you don't have to be a great expert, and even a first contact with the smell gives us an important answer: fresh fish, in fact, must have the scent of the sea, and if you detect any unusual odors, sniff under the gills and you'll immediately discover the truth. This is just a first, simple example of how to avoid waste and scams with fresh fish.

How to tell if fish isn't fresh?

There are some unmistakable signs that make it very easy to understand when fish is not fresh. The most important are:

The eye is sunken in the center, with a milky cornea and a gray pupil.
The color of the gills tends towards yellowish
The skin is dull and the scales they come off easily
The mucus is yellowish-gray and opaque
Once you get home, when you cook it you notice that the meat is flaccid and soft
The area along the spine is red. The more intense the red, the older the fish.

How do you recognize adulterated tuna?

In recent times Consumer fraud has increased using the most unthinkable techniques. A famous one is that of tuna whose color is reinvigorated with the use of carbon monoxide. Recently, the fraudulent use of hydrogen peroxide for bleaching has also been discovered. Cuttlefish, calamari, and cuttlefish. Octopus is made heavier, and therefore more expensive, by additives that retain moisture.

The most common frauds

There are three types of fish fraud. The first concerns the species replacementA less valuable sea bream is sold for a dentex; a marlin for a swordfish; an African perch fillet for a grouper. Then there's the qualitative fraud that occurs when you pass off frozen fish as fresh, with the usual price differences. Or a farmed fish appears wild, a foreign fish appears local, one with additives appears natural. Third fraud: quantitative. The fish weighs more through the “glazing”, that is, with an excessive and undeclared layer of ice, or with substances, from polyphosphates to plant and animal proteins, that retain moisture. And therefore, they unnaturally overweight the fish.

How to recognize fresh and thawed fish

To defend yourself, here 10 things to check to expose the thawed fish that someone tries to sell as fresh.

Thawed fish can be recognized by its sunken and dull eyes.
Fresh fish generally has convex eyes, with bright black pupils, bright and shiny skin.
Thawed fish has the clouded pupil.
Fresh fish is drive, the thawed one becomes elastic, qWhen you touch its flesh, no fingerprints should remain.
Le gills some frozen fish are colored brownish o yellowish.
Le business fresh fish are colored bright red, and on the body appears a clear mucus, not yellowish.
Frozen fish sometimes presents fin damage.
Each fish, fresh or frozen, is distinguished by specific characteristics which you can find by consulting this guide prepared by the Zooprophylactic Institute of Turin.
Fresh tuna, for example, is colored BordeauxThe fresh sea bream has a lively and transparent eye, with the black pupilFresh scampi has a color pinkish.
There are also some for fish labels which must be available to the consumer. They must report both the Latin name of the species and the commercial name, the physical state of the product (fresh or thawed), the capture area (Atlantic, Mediterranean, Indian Ocean, etc.) the production method (caught or farmed), the tools with which it was caught, the any additives. And of course the price per kilo.
Remember that fish, like any product in nature, has its own seasonalityGo with it and don't force it. For example: mackerel is available from January to March, mullet in April and May, sardines from July to November, whiting in December. And so on.
In general, to avoid being scammed, try not to change fish suppliers and stick to those who have acted correctly.
La vertebral column It should break rather than peel off, and should be completely free of any discoloration.

What are the symptoms of spoiled fish?

Apart from the conditions that characterise fresh fish and which we have talked about (from the eyes to the pupil, from the gills to the fins), there is a fundamental symptom to recognize spoiled fish: the smell. When the fish has gone bad, its smell becomes foul and It reminds me of ammonia. The scales and flesh, in this process of putrefaction, come off easily. And the belly, the first area affected by putrefaction, becomes swollen, flaccid and enlarged. All fish, even the fresh ones, they have a pungent odorBut if your sense of smell detects a foul, ammonia-like odor, give up your food. It'll be healthier for you. At a restaurant, if you're not a regular, it's always a good idea to ask to see the fish you choose. At least you'll be able to understand what they're offering you.

What risks are there?

I health risks, due to a meal with spoiled fish, are not to be underestimated. And they have a deadly gradual progression that must be addressed from the very first moment. They begin with the mildest symptoms: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, palpitations, headache. Those who suffer from asthma may have a few attacks. If you manage to keep the situation under control, drinking plenty of water will suffice, and the food poisoning will subside fairly quickly. However, if the fever progresses and other symptoms appear, from abdominal cramps to small hemorrhages, it's best to call your doctor immediately or go directly to the emergency room.

Fresh fish is good for your health

Il fresh fish in addition to being better is also good for your healthAccording to the American Heart Association, eating it at least twice a week guarantees an excellent dose of proteins and omega 3 fatty acids, which they are good for the heart and reduce the risk of arrhythmias, lower triglyceride levels. In addition to cholesterol, also produces beneficial effects on blood pressure, because it slows the growth of atherosclerotic plaque. American cardiologists suggest eat mostly fatty fish including mackerel, salmon, herring, trout e sardine. While it is best to avoid large ones like the tuna, swordfish , belly.

How to tell if fish is fresh