Top 10 Mistakes When Buying Seafood

By Anita Frogel


The best way to break down       between the fish and the      
the mistakes that are done       wrapping, and if there is any
when buying seafood is to look   liquid in the packaging.      
at each type of seafood and                                    
the characteristics it should    Fresh fish filets and steaks  
have when you purchase it. You   odor should be fresh and mild.
should buy high quality          The flesh should be moist,    
seafood whether it is fresh or   firm, elastic and have a fresh
frozen and these tips on what    cut appearance.               
to look for to keep you from                                   
making the top 10 mistakes       When you buy frozen seafood   
when buying seafood.             do not buy if it is not frozen
                                 solid, if there is any        
When you go to buy fresh         discoloration or any type of  
whole fish do not buy it if      drying which can mean freezer
the appearance of the fish is    burn, if there is an odor. Do
not bright and shiny, scales     not buy any frozen seafood    
are not intact and adhere to     product that has ice crystals
the skin. If the eyes have       or water stains.              
turned pink, cloudy and                                        
sunken, except with small eyes   Frozen seafood should only be 
fish like salmon. Gills          purchased if it is frozen     
should not have any type of      solid and if there is no      
slime coating or be green or     discoloration and if there is
brown in color. Fish should      an odor it should be fresh and
not have a fishy odor.           mild. The wrapping should be  
                                 moist and vapor proof and     
When you buy fresh whole fish    should fit around your seafood
it should be bright, shiny,      closely and not damaged in    
and most of the scales should    any form. If you notice water
be intact and adhere tightly     stains or ice crystals, the   
to the skin. Every fish has      seafood has thawed and been re
markings and colors that will    -frozen. Always look for an   
fade and be less pronounced as   expiration date.              
the fish loses its freshness.                                  
The eyes should be bright,       When you are purchasing any   
clear, and full and sometimes    seafood product fresher is    
protrude according to the        always better. When you buy   
species. The color of the        frozen talk with the person   
gills fade over time, turning    that is in charge of the      
from bright red to pink, grey    seafood and learn how the     
and then to a green or brown     seafood was frozen. If it was
color so the brighter red the    flash frozen it may in fact   
more fresh. Fish that is fresh   be better than fresh. The time
will have practically no odor    it takes to get quality fresh 
at all, the fishy smell          seafood to your store will    
happens over time.               give the seafood time to age.
                                 Flash frozen is when the      
When buying fresh fish filets    seafood is frozen within just
and steaks do not purchasing     a few hours of harvesting to  
if the fishy odor is strong,     ensure the quality that you   
there are signs of browning or   can buy.                     
drying around the edges of                                     
the filets, if plastic                                         
wrapping is not tight, it if                                   
there is plenty of space         

About the author:

Anita is author of
Seafood
Recipes at Steaks-Guide.com