How can you tell fish is fresh?

Have you ever looked at the fish in a supermarket and wondered how fresh it is? Here are a few tips to help you judge for yourself.

 

Flesh and general appearance

 

Fresh fish should be shiny in appearance and have a glistening look. The flesh should be firm to the touch and not soft and spongy. The flesh of white fish should be translucent and be firm and compact.

 

Smell

 

Most seafood products should have a rather pleasant seaside/marine smell and would be like smelling fresh seaweed that has just been washed up. They should not have a strong ‘fishy’ odour and if they do it is a good test that they are past their best

 

Eyes

 

Look out for bright, clear eyes. The eyes of a fish fade quickly into grey dullness and they may be safe to eat but the fish is past it’s prime.

 

Gills

 

If you can, look into the gills of a fish and it should be a rich red. As the fish ages this colour fades and becomes a faded brick colour.