How do I choose fish?

Selection criteria for the best frozen fish

Branded fresh frozen fish is the best alternative to fresh fish. They are frozen within merely few hours after being caught and preserved at -18°C at all stages of transport, storage and distribution.

First of all it’s better to buy your frozen products at the end of your visit to the supermarket, so they can remain as frozen as possible, until stored in your freezer.

We should always check on the thermometer of the store’s freezers. If it’s less or equal to -18°C, then the fish continues to be preserved at the right temperature. Also, there shouldn’t be any packages higher than the appropriate level indicated on the freezer (red line).

Once we choose the fish or seafood we want to buy, there are five simple rules we should follow, concerning not only its packaging, but also the fish itself.

  1. The box or the bag should be appropriately closed or sealed. If the packaging is torn or damaged, we should select another one.
  2. The packaging should indicate the product’s expiration date and origin (FAO zone). This way, we can be informed about the area the fish was caught and until when is it safe to be consumed.
  3. We pay attention at the inside of the packaging. First we should look for accumulated crushed ice. If we see it, then we should choose another bag, because this means that this frozen product has been through temperature fluctuations.
  4. The fish should have the right shape. This means that we shouldn’t buy fish or seafood that look like blob or dissolved or broken. When something like that occurs, it means that the fish has been defrosted and refrozen. And this degrades its quality.
  5. The look and color are also important features. The fish needs to have the right color, and look fresh and alive (for example it should have clear eyes, and not shrunk).

And a final advice concerning its transport to your house. We should always place all frozen products in one bag, so they can maintain their temperature. However, if we need to cover a long distance, then it’s better to have insulation bags for all the products that need to be stored in a freezer.