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5 Reasons Why You Should Buy Frozen Seafood

Frozen seafood used to be frowned upon in the past, for reasons such as frozen seafood has poorer quality than its fresh equivalent. Even up to this day, many people are still assuming that frozen seafood will never be better than fresh seafood. However, do you know that the frozen seafood products we have now is actually more sustainable and economical than fresh ones, not to mention is delicious and nutritious as well? All thanks to today’s improved freezing technology, frozen seafood products have been gaining popularity and demands amongst consumers, and here are the reasons why you should consider stocking your freezer with frozen seafood instead.



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1. Environment

While fresh seafood products have to be air-freighted in order to reach most consumers, frozen seafood products on the other hand can be delivered via ship, rail, or truck, thereby reducing our environmental impact. Air freight is one of the more carbon intensive forms of shipping.



2. Quality

Contrary to popular belief, frozen seafood is actually of higher quality or equivalent to fresh seafood. The taste and nutrition of frozen seafood are locked in when they are frozen at sea or within hours of being harvested, therefore you are able to obtain the best seafood all year round.



3. Economy

It is certainly more economical when you buy frozen seafood, mostly because you only use exactly the amount you need, in contrast to fresh seafood whereby you will have to use it quickly before it starts to spoil. This way you get to prevent wastage and frozen seafood also allows you to buy more at a time for better pricing.



4. Safety

Frozen seafood can help to keep fishermen safer as there is no urgency in delivering fresh seafood immediately. With fishing being a difficult and dangerous line of work, the lack of urgency allows fishermen to choose to fish only in the best conditions along with a safer timeline.


5. Availability

Frozen seafood can be caught in season, thus keeping variety available throughout the year. You are then able to enjoy delicious and healthy seafood all year long without having to be restricted to what is available fresh today.

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How To Choose Fresh Seafood

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You only have one mission every time you step into a market, and that is to buy the freshest product available, be it meat, poultry or seafood. Freshness is clearly the most important factor, especially when it comes to buying seafood. Here are what you should look for so as to make the process of buying fresh seafood easy.

1. Whole Fish

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• Skin – The skin should look shiny and bright, and is firm and clear, with no trace of slime, dulled or discoloured patches
• Scales – The scales should be tight to the body of the fish
• Flesh – The flesh should be firm and should spring back when touched
• Gills – The gills of fresh fish should be should be bright red or pink without mucus, and not brownish
• Colour – There should be no browning around the belly cavity
• Eyes – The eyes of the fish should be bright and clear and not cloudy or sunken in
• Smell – Fresh fish should smell like the ocean – briny, fresh, and mild



2. Fish Fillet

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• Flesh – The flesh should be translucent and even tone in colour with non-sticky surface
• Skin – The skin should be bright with no milky substance as milky substance on a fillet indicates the first stage of rot
• Colour – There should be no browning on the edges of the meat
• Smell – There should be no pungent aromas

3. Shellfish – Mollusks (clams, mussels, oysters and scallops)

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• Alive – The shells should be tightly closed
• Shells – There should be no chips or cracks
• Smell – There should be no fishy smell



4. Shellfish – Crustacea (shrimp, crab and lobster)

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• Alive – They should be active and lively
• Meat – For shrimps, the meat should be firm with legs intact
• Body – For crabs, there should be no cracks in the body, claws, or edible legs.



5. Squid

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• Eyes – The eyes should be should be clean, bright and full
• Meat – The meat should be firm
• Skin – There should be no tears in the skin

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Fresh Seafood: Food Safety Guide

Nothing is more delicious and healthful than a platter of fresh seafood. Rich in protein and other essential nutrients, fish and shellfish are key to any well-balanced diet. As with any other food, the preparation of seafood is intricate and requires proper handling to reduce the risk of foodborne illnesses. Read on for our tips on selecting and serving seafood safely.

 

I. Buying

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  • When buying fish and shrimp, ensure that the fish is properly refrigerated or displayed on a thick bed of ice.
  • Look for fish that smell fresh and mild, not fishy, sour or ammonia-like.
  • Fish’s eyes should be clear and bulge a little.
  • Whole fish and fillets should have firm, shiny flesh, and bright red gills free from milky slime.
  • Fish fillets should display no discolouration, darkening or drying around the edges.
  • Shrimp flesh should be translucent and shiny with little or no odour.
  • Shells of clams, mussels and oysters should be whole, not cracked or broken.
  • Select shellfish by doing a “tap” test. Live shellfish should close up when the shell is tapped. Otherwise, do not select them.
  • Live crabs and lobsters should show some leg movement. They spoil rapidly after death, so only live crabs and lobsters should be selected and prepared.

 

II. Storing

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  • To prevent seafood from spoiling, place it in the refrigerator or freezer soon after buying it.
  • If seafood will be used within 2 days after purchase, store it in the refrigerator. Otherwise, wrap it tightly in plastic, foil, or moisture-proof paper and store it in the freezer.
  • Ensure that cooked seafood is stored separately from the raw seafood to prevent cross-contamination.

 

III. Preparing, Cooking & Serving

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  • Practise good kitchen habits. Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and warm water before and after handling raw food. Ensure that cutting boards, dishes and utensils and countertops are clean. Sanitise them thoroughly after use.
  • Thaw frozen seafood gradually by placing it in the refrigerator overnight. Never leave seafood and other perishable items out on the counter for thawing.
  • Ensure that seafood is properly cooked. For example, for fish, the flesh should be opaque and separate easily with a fork. The shells of shellfish should open during cooking. Discard if otherwise.
  • When serving, ensure that hot seafood dishes are kept hot and cold dishes kept cold. Cold seafood platters should be kept on ice.