As with any other food, the healthy use of fish is important to reduce the risk of foodborne illness.
The Food and Drug Administration of the United States proposes to follow the following recommendations on basic safety regarding the purchase, storage and preparation of fish.
Only buy fresh fish or seafood when it was refrigerated or on a thick layer of ice, preferably in a box.
These are some the signs that indicate that the fish is fresh:
- The fish has to have a fresh or mild smell; its smell should not be sour or similar to ammonia.
- The eyes of the fish should be clear and stand out a bit.
- The flesh of the fish should be bright and firm and have bright red gills.
- After pressing it, the meat must return to its normal state
- Fish fillets should not show discoloration, darkening or drying at the edges.
Store properly
Place seafood or fish on ice, in the refrigerator (if used very soon) or in the freezer immediately after purchase. If the fish is to be frozen it is necessary to wrap it well in aluminum foil to avoid air leaks.
Prepare safely
Most seafood should be cooked to an indoor temperature of 62 degrees C and should be examined in more than one place to determine that they it is already cooked. If you do not have a thermometer, there are other ways to do it:
- Fish: The meat should be opaque and separated easily with a fork.
- Shrimp and lobsters: The flesh will be pearly and opaque.
- Scallops: The meat looks milky white, opaque and firm.
