Seafood is rich in nutrients that are essential for a healthy diet. We have seen steadily rising levels of fish consumption over the years. In fact, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) reports that, between 1990 and 2018, there was an over 122% rise in food fish consumption globally. There are now more than 3.3 billion people around the world, who obtain nearly 20% of their daily protein intake from fish alone.
In Asia alone, countries that are popular with seafood, and are also one of the top exporters in the world includes countries like China, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Australia and New Zealand.
As any foodie or expert will tell you, there is nothing better than cooking using only the best and freshest, local ingredients to impress your family and friends during mealtimes. Produce that is directly from the source or from the local market is fresher, tastes better and more importantly, lasts longer.
Freshwater lakes and rivers have unique ecosystems that are distinct from the oceans’ ecosystems which is why both freshwater and saltwater seafood have different flavors, bone structure, nutrients, and quality.
However, when it comes to shopping for seafood, there are a few tricks that are worth having to ensure that you will snag the freshest catch of the day.
1. Assess the physical appearance
Fresh fish and seafood should look bright and glowing. When purchasing either fish fillets or cutlets, it is well worth noting that there should be no discoloration or bruising anywhere on the body. Likewise, when purchasing crustaceans and molluscs, you need to look for brightly colored and radiant shells or flesh with no discoloration around the joints. In addition, shells, heads and tentacles should also still be intact.
2. Ignore cloudy eyes
People often mistake cloudy eyes for being a red flag, whenever it comes to choosing the freshest seafood from the market. However, cloudy eyes are sometimes caused by something harmless such as melting ice. The right way to check to indicate the seafood’s freshness is to look and see if both the eyes are full and firm.
3. Check the gills
The gills are also the best visual part of a fish to work out its freshness. A healthy, fresh fish should have pink, red, or purple gills. Avoid any fish that have either brown, grey or black gills.
4. Check the shells
When selecting the best crustaceans, choose the ones with the firmest shells possible, as it indicates that the meat inside is in peak condition compared to the softer shells. Crustacean creatures shed their shells and undergo a regeneration process that reduces the quality and flavor of the meat during fishing season.
5. Smell
No matter the type of seafood you are looking for, whether it be fish, crustaceans or even mollusks, the smell is also one of the most important factors when looking for fresh seafood. A salty or seaweed smell is a great sign that the seafood is fresh. Avoid any seafood that has an unsavoury smell or even a foul smell.
Additional expert tip:
Be sure to keep your purchased seafood chilled and refrigerated until the time of cooking to ensure freshness. You may even place it in a container, cover it with damp paper or cloth before cooking. If you are unsure or unable to find a specific type of seafood for a recipe, a good fish vendor or supplier will be able to recommend some good alternatives to try out instead.
Here at Crystal Wild Seafood, we import directly from across the region from countries like Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Australia, New Zealand and are a distributor of a selection of more than 50 over live, chilled and frozen seafood types.
We are a one-stop seafood solution for Food and Beverages Partners and Wholesalers, delivering top quality seafood at competitive pricing.Crystal Wild Seafood, formerly known as Boon Teck Seafood, is a reputable Singaporean homegrown seafood specialist with over 30 years of operations and experience. Contact us at [email protected] or +65 6363 2765 for any seafood supply enquiries.
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