Common Seafood Questions Answered

Here are the most common questions I get here about seafood so I thought I would address them here in one post. Fresh fish seems the major concern.


When does fish go bad? When fish goes bad is determined by the temperature it is stored at. At minus 10 degrees F or below it can last up to 12 months, at 30 degrees F about 7 days, at 40 degrees F (approx normal home refrigeration temp) about two to three days.


How fast does fish go bad? Typically it will last in home refrigeration two to three days after brought home from the market. Temperature is always the key to how fast fish goes bad, the colder you can keep fish the longer it stays consumable.


When is fish bad? Whole fish is bad when the eyes get cloudy and the gills get brownish in color, always look for clear eyes and ruby red gills when buying fish whole or having one filleted or steaked out. Cut fish is bad when the flesh does not spring back from touch, the flesh is opaque and/or has an ammonia type odor.

When is fresh or wild salmon season? People often ask for fresh salmon when they mean wild salmon that is why I included both terms. Typically wild salmon season runs from first of March to late November although some species are available late into winter. My advice is to always buy Alaskan salmon, if it is not available fresh, frozen Alaskan salmon is just as good, the process they use often makes the frozen salmon actually fresher than the "fresh" salmon you buy in market.


Is seafood better for you than red meat? Yes, it is recommended you have two to three servings of seafood a week compared to one of red meat, and yes pork is included in red meat despite their advertising it as a white meat. There is just so much good nutrition you can obtain from seafood that you just can't get from any other single food source, plus it is a high-grade protein.

How does fish go bad? Fish goes bad by not keeping it at the right temperature or for too long, or both. Keep fish refrigerated below 40 degrees F and it will keep up to three days if it was fresh when you bought it.

I know a lot of these questions seem repetitive, but I felt they approached the same concern from different angles and should be addressed that way. Most people are concerned about the freshness of fish because of safety and health concerns, but remember this; seafood is the single safest product in your grocery store, it's a proven fact. Buy smart so your fish is fresh when you get it, keep seafood refrigerated properly, consume within three days of purchase, and enjoy a delicious, healthy meal.

If you have any seafood questions that was not answered here please post it in comments and I will be glad to answer them for you.

When Good Fish Go Bad...

Here are some things you should look for when purchasing fish at the market to ensure you have a pleasant meal when you get home.

First of all the fish should be displayed in a refrigerated glass front case on a bed of fresh ice. The refrigeration is to ensure the ice doesn't melt, if the ice appears to be melting, the fish is not being kept at the proper temperature.

Now, here are the five things to look for when purchasing fresh fish:

1.Probably the one we all know, fish should smell fresh and mild, the leaner fish will have almost no smell at all while the fattier fish will have a slightly sea-breeze aroma. If you detect an ammonia-like odor it is definitely bad.

2. If you are looking at whole fish the eyes should be clear and bulge slightly. Cloudy sunken eyes are a clear sign the fish is past it's prime. Sometimes the eyes may have been damaged in capture or handling, and some fish like walleye pike have naturally cloudy eyes. Therefore you will want to look at the gills, they should be almost ruby red in color, to me bright red gills are the best indicator of a fresh whole fish.

3. Fish whether whole or filleted should have firm shiny flesh. Dull or dry looking flesh, especially if it appears to be separating is a clear sign of aged fish. Please note however if you are looking at previously frozen fish it will have lost some of its luster but will still be fine.

4. As well as being firm the flesh should have a spring too it. When pressed slightly with your finger it should spring back and not leave an impression where touched.

5. Fish fillets should have no darkening or drying around the edges. There should be no discoloration usually green or yellowish and again should not be dry or mushy.

If you look for these five indicators you should be able to ensure yourself that the fish you take home will make an excellent meal.

Keeping Seafood Fresh

Seafood is one of the safest food products you can bring home from the market if you follow just one simple rule: keep it cold. Seafood freezes at about 28 degrees Fahrenheit, so you get the longest shelf life by keeping your seafood as close to this temp as possible without actually freezing it.

Obviously this is colder than you would keep you refrigerator, you don't want to freeze your milk, eggs and other foodstuffs, so most refrigerators are set to just below 40 degrees Fahrenheit. The bottom of the refrigerator is the coldest spot inside the box, you will usually have a drawer marked "Meat" down there, and this is the best place to store your seafood, as it is usually closer to about 35 degrees.

Kept at this temperature, and assuming your seafood was "fresh" when purchased, you should have two to three days from date of purchase to safely cook and consume your product. Ask your fishmonger to pack your seafood in ice to insure it stays "in temp" while you finish your shopping and for the trip home.

Every degree of temperature rise in the seafood decreases the shelf life of the product, and, if it rises above 40 degrees bacteria can begin to actively grow and start spoilage.

So in conclusion when it comes to seafood, to keep it safe, keep it cold.