Fish is one of the most common edibles out there, especially the ones who like seafood. However, fish is extremely sensitive, and one needs to be very particular about the storage and cooking to ensure the flavor is not ruined. That being said, if you want to know how to tell if the fish has gone bad, we are sharing the tips that might help!
How to Tell If Fish Has Gone Bad?
Understanding The Shelf Life Of Fish
There is a wide variety of fish out there, and all of them have different shelf lives. However, the shelf life depends on different factors, such as preparation method, storage, and sell-by date. For the most part, the shelf life of the life can be enhanced by storing it properly, and it will actually stay fine by the sell-by date. So, let’s see what you can check to see if the fish has gone bad or not.
1. Read The Sell-By Date
First of all, you need to toss out the raw fish two days after the sell-by date. This is because the raw fish doesn’t have a long lifespan, even in the refrigerator, and it will start going bad as soon as the sell-by date is passed. For this reason, you must check the sell-by date on the fish’s packaging, and if one or two days have already passed, you need to throw it out. Having said that, if you want to delay this occurrence, you can store the fish in a freezer.
On the other hand, if you are talking about cooked fish, it can be kept in the refrigerator for five to six days after the sell-by date has passed. However, you need to store the fish in an airtight container, but after five days, it’s best to discard the fish. If you have thrown out the original packaging, make sure to note down the freezing date, so there is no confusion. You can note it down on the fish container or paste a sticky note with the freezing date and use the fish within five to six days.
Now, if you are talking about frozen fish, it can be kept in the freezer for over six to nine months after the sell-by date has passed (if you have cooked smoked salmon, it can be put in the freezer for only three months).
2. Inspect The Fish
- Slimy Texture
Now that you are clear about the sell-by date, but it’s not clear, you need to inspect the fish to look for the signs of rotting. To begin with, you need to look for a slimy coating. This is because when the fish starts aging, the exterior surface will become wet and develop a thin slime layer. A slimy coating is a sign that the fish has gone bad. In addition, the slimy coating will thicken up and feel slippery to touch, which is an indication that the fish is not safe to consume anymore. So, if you see this texture building on the fish, you need to discard it.
- Pungent Aroma
Another sign of fish-gone-bad is the pungent fishy smell. Be it cooked fish or raw fish, both of them will develop a strong fishy smell when they go bad. However, the refrigerated fish will start with a mild smell and will gradually become more pungent. In addition, with time, the smell will transform into the putrid aroma of rotten meat.
- Milky Color
The third sign that your fish has gone bad is the appearance of the milky color on the fish. Generally, fish has white and light pink hues with a clear and thin liquid film. So, when the fish starts aging and going bad, it will take on the milky color with a glossy outlook. In addition, the milky areas of the fish might turn gray or blue. Even more, if you have whole fish, its eyeballs will start looking cloudy.
3. Freezer Burn
Lastly, you need to check for the signs of freezer burn, but it’s to be checked when you have already frozen the fish for at least nine months. This is because it’s the maximum you can freeze the fish. For this purpose, you need to check for crystallized ice on the fish’s surface. In addition to crystallized ice, you should also look for the discolored patches, and if you find these elements, you need to discard the fish.