It doesn’t matter if you caught the lobsters on your fishing day or bought them from the grocery store; they are extremely coveted. For this reason, when lobster smells like ammonia, it will frustrate the consumers because it’s not considered fresh. For more information about the ammonia smell in the lobsters, we are sharing the common reasons and what can be done!
Why Your Lobster Smells Like Ammonia
Lobsters belong to the family of crustaceans and are known for their tender meat. In addition, the meat is extremely sensitive, which means it will be spoiled if you don’t cook or store the lobsters properly. On the other hand, if the damage is already done and lobsters were not stored properly, they will give off an unpleasant smell, such as ammonia. In addition to the ammonia smell, spoilt lobsters attain the consistency of soft cottage cheese.
So, if you have bought the lobster and there are smells like ammonia odors, there are high chances the meat has gone bad, and it shouldn’t be consumed. To illustrate, the ammonia odor is caused when the lobster’s meat starts breaking down. However, it is not always this easy to comprehend. This is because, in various cases, the ammonia smell will not be evident, and you will need to take extra measures to check the freshness of lobsters.
In particular, you won’t be able to smell the ammonia odors when you had frozen the lobsters. In the majority of cases, people freeze the lobsters before they check their freshness. So, when the lobsters are put in the freezer, the ammonia odors won’t be evident and won’t appear unless you thaw them. That being said, many people are unable to smell ammonia until they have already finished or started the cooking procedure.
For this reason, if you are using frozen lobsters, it is important to thaw them before you’ve to test them for freshness. As soon as lobsters come down to room temperature, you will be able to smell the lobsters and determine if there is an ammonia smell. Generally, frozen lobsters will have a mild aroma, and it shouldn’t be a problem. However, if the ammonia aroma is too pungent, discarding lobsters is the right choice.
Also, even if you end up cooking spoiled lobsters, it will show the signs of spoilage, such as tough and brown meat. That being said, only if you have cooked the lobsters, it doesn’t mean that lobsters can be consumed. At this point, we do want to add that the ammonia smell means bad lobsters. On the other hand, if the lobsters smell like iodine, it’s natural, and lobsters are safe to consume. So, it’s better to establish a difference between iodine and ammonia smells.
Signs Of Spoiled Lobsters
To begin with, the ammonia odor should be your biggest hint that lobsters have gone bad. However, the other signs of spoiled lobsters include soft consistency, slimy and discolored meat. In addition, the meat might start falling apart on its own or with minimal effort. So, if these signs are prevalent in lobsters, they are spoiled and cannot be consumed.
How To Protect Lobsters From Spoiling?
Have you ever seen lobsters loaded in the tanks whenever you visit the fish market or restaurant? It has a purpose. This is because the lobster meat is vulnerable to spoilage and will go bad if it’s not stored immediately when they are killed. Immediate handling and storage ensure that lobsters don’t decompose and ensure that meat’s quality is maintained.
If you are considering live storage, it is not a practical option because it demands extremely preventive measures to prevent the chances of spoilage. So, it doesn’t matter where you purchased the lobsters from, keeping them at room temperature for a long time isn’t ideal (you cannot even store it for an hour). That being said, as soon as the lobster is dead, start cleaning the meat and cook it.
The Bottom Line
The lobsters are extremely sensitive seafood items, and they need immediate care and storage. At this point, we are sure you are aware of the consequences of inappropriate handling. All in all, if lobsters smell like ammonia, don’t even think about using DIY methods to kill the smell or otherwise you will be caught with health issues!