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 Painted, fed, stuffed - the variety of fish assortment in our market is amazing. The modern market opens up to consumers an incredible selection of products for every taste. As they say, if only there was money. But such a diverse, at first glance, choice actually hides dozens of tricks of unscrupulous sellers and suppliers, and at the same time - hundreds of health hazards for everyone who dares to purchase a low-quality product.
A particularly risky product today is called fish, which, despite its recognized benefits for the human body, can be very dangerous. Indeed, as soon as the fish is caught from its natural habitat, at the same moment the process of its oxidation starts, that is, it begins to deteriorate. And it can become a harmful product, not a source of health.
Experiment
Juicy and aromatic smoked fish is in great demand among consumers. True, its price does not allow you to enjoy this product every day. It would seem how long and complex this smoking process must be if the cost of the finished product is so depleting our wallets. In fact, making smoked fish identical to the one you buy in the store is very easy and simple at home. All you need to do is purchase a small bottle of "liquid smoke". Two to three tablespoons for 1-2 fish, 24 hours of patience - and the fish is ready. The same juicy and aromatic, but three times cheaper. And you don't need to light a fire and buy tons of firewood. Half a liter of magic smoke - and smoked fish is guaranteed to you. But will you have the desire to eat such fish?
Liquid smoke, according to manufacturers, is harmless. They say that its production is based on dissolving the products of decay of various types of wood in water. At the same time, it seems that the condensate is purified by removing various harmful components from it. But it is unlikely that all liquid smoke present on our market is obtained in this way. Basically, the miracle liquid is just a chemical with a synthetic flavor. At the same time, for some reason, the name of the synthetic component is not indicated in the product labeling.
According to unofficial statistics, at present, over 90% of smoked products (both fish and meat) are prepared with the use of "liquid smoke". Whereas the systematic use of this kind of products can damage the gastric mucosa and provoke intestinal diseases. Many countries have already banned the use of liquid smoke, since the safety of a product even depends on its concentration - too much is harmful to health. And they often exceed the norms - first of all, to process stale fish and thus drown out the unpleasant aftertaste. So is it worth trusting the manufacturers who say that liquid smoke is completely harmless? Therefore, no matter how it is called and made, an artificial flavor will always be artificial.
Colored fish
Another interesting product on the fish market was the beloved red fish. It turns out that it is often either dyed, or even specially grown, feeding it with growth stimulants and dyes. Therefore, if you see that the fish has bright red meat and small fins, it is better to opt for another product. In the end, if you don’t believe it, get such a vivid sample of frozen fish and leave it to defrost. Colored water and pale fish will surely convince you. True, there is no need to eat it afterwards - who knows what chemicals it was painted with.
In order to buy a good red fish, you should remember a few simple rules:
1. Fish raised on natural food are pale and have long fins.
2. Before purchasing a fillet, smell it. If there is a smell of ammonia, it means that it was obtained from expired fish.
3. If there are no bones at all in the fillet, it is a sign that it was prepared with the addition of chemicals. It's quite easy to check this - try to peel the fish yourself and get such a neat and even piece that you buy in the store. Believe me, most manufacturers use a simple and proven method - they dip the fish in a special solution, and the bones disappear by themselves - dissolve.
4. Unpainted fish have white streaks, dyed ones do not.
5. Examine the fillet cut carefully. If you see light or dark spots, then the fillet is obtained from tails and scales. According to experts, about 25% of the pressed fillets are made from completely different types of fish, the name of which is indicated on the package.
6. If the fish has an uncharacteristic glossy shine - it was definitely chopped with polyphosphate, which is not worth eating.
Fresh fish rare?
Therefore, if smoked fish is best not to be overused, then is it better to buy a fresh and safe product? It would seem that there can be no tricks here. But you do not know exactly where this fish was caught and how long and in what conditions it was stored. Therefore, it is hardly worth trusting only the assurances of the seller, they say, the product is fresh. It is better to be convinced of the truth of what has been said for yourself. To do this, carefully examine the fish. The first thing to look out for is the scales. It should stay moist. The fish is lying on the counter if its scales are brittle, dry, with cracks. In addition, the mucus on the skin of fresh fish is transparent. Otherwise, it is better not to buy fish.
Another characteristic of a quality fish is protruding and transparent eyes. Cloudy, dry, or sunken indicate its not the first freshness. By the way, you should look in both eyes! Don't forget about the gills. Fresh, they are bright red or bright pink, in the one that has begun to deteriorate, they are dark red or black. And the gill plates should not be sticky and without mucus. You can also touch the fish. Fresh fish should not have pits on the belly after pressing with the fingers. Ultimately, the smell of fish shouldn't be repulsive either.
By the way, the best smell of spoiled fish can be heard by lifting the gill cover. There is another surefire way to make sure the fish is fresh: take the fish with one hand by the head, the other by the tail, and gently bend it. Fresh will not break, but only bend. In addition, its tail should not be bent or dry - this indicates that the fish is not fresh. Ultimately, don't buy fresh sea fish if you live 1000 km from the sea. Since sea fish are transported from afar and can only be frozen. In another case, you are offered either a low-quality product, or they are trying to sell ordinary river fish at the sea price.
If you are tempted by live fish swimming in a supermarket aquarium, then choose a mobile one, not a sluggish one, let alone floating upside down ..
Fish with ice
There are also rules for the correct purchase of frozen fish. The first thing to remember is that fish can only be frozen once. Repeated attempts to refrigerate it, even if they do not spoil the product, will still reduce the benefits from it. When buying fish that is wet-frozen, make sure that the ice covering the fish looks like a glaze and is not damaged, which indicates that it will be re-frozen. Once frozen, the fish will be smooth and flavorful. Also, do not buy fish with white spots: this indicates deep freezing or spoilage. Well, and of course, look at the expiration date, or ask the seller for the appropriate certificate.
Novikova A.
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