How long can fresh, smoked and dried fish be stored in the refrigerator?

Buying quality fish is the key to proper storage

The fresher the fish or seafood, the longer the period during which it is permissible to store such food in the refrigerator. To understand that the fish is fresh, you need to pay attention to the following factors:

1. The fish should have a mild aroma; in most cases, the smell should be characterized as marine or iodine. Fish products that have been stale have a repulsive and very unpleasant smell.
2. The gills should be shiny and light; yellowish and brown tones are characteristic of fish that have been lying around for a long time and have already begun to deteriorate.
3. Fresh fish has firm, shiny and elastic scales.
4. Open, richly colored, translucent and bulging eyes indicate the freshness of the seafood, while grayish and dull eyes indicate that the carcass is nearing the end of its shelf life.
5. Whenever possible, you need to press on the scales of the fish - if they are elastic and hard, then the seafood is fresh. At the same time, flat fish (roach and the like) are required to keep their shape when picked up.

Attention! Optimal conditions are created when the seller keeps the fish in a container with ice, rather than on top of an ice mound - this allows the product to cool better.

When the fish or seafood is fully compliant, it will remain fresh longer when certain conditions are created for it in the refrigerator. It is not recommended to buy already frozen carcasses, since their freshness is difficult to determine before thawing.

How to choose

At the time of purchase, they look at the degree of freshness of the product. The shelf life of the fish will depend on the freshness of the catch.

• The smell of fresh product should be faint. Most often, the catch smells of sea aromas with a hint of iodine.
• Stale goods give off unpleasant (rotten) odors.
• High-quality fresh fish has elastic, shiny and elastic scales. Open convex bright and translucent eyes. Stale goods have dull eyes.
• Fresh fish can be recognized by their light and shiny gills. Shades of brown or yellow indicate stale goods.
• If possible, press firmly on the scales. If a dent does not form on it, and the surface is elastic, the product is of high quality. The dense elastic structure of the scales is an indicator of freshness.

At the time of sale, the entire catch should be kept in a container with a large amount of ice, and not on top of it. With this storage, the products will be well cooled, which means they will remain fresh longer.

Standards for storing fish in a refrigerator

The microorganisms present in fish affect the period of its storage, and the refrigeration cabinet inhibits the activity of bacteria and lengthens the storage time. However, the temperature of +5 C maintained in ordinary household units is not suitable for long-term preservation of product freshness, since it requires maintaining a temperature regime of -2...0 ̊C. Due to these temperature conditions, fish products will remain fresh in a classic refrigerator for 24 hours.

It is possible to set a lower temperature, but for other products this thermometer mark is too low. To solve this problem, it is recommended to first place the fish in an airtight container filled with ice, and only then put it in the refrigerator on the shelf. This will preserve freshness for 1-2 days longer than when stored in normal refrigerator compartment conditions.

It is much easier when the unit has a BioFresh or BioFresh-Plus section. In such a zone, fish products can be preserved for two days, since the temperature in the section is maintained at 0 °C. In a BioFresh-Plus container at a temperature of -2 °C, fish can stay for up to four days.

How to store large volumes of fish products

When you managed to catch a lot of fish or there was a large purchase of this product, it must be properly prepared before storage. The following manipulations are carried out with fresh fish:

• wash;
• cleanse;
• dry off excess liquid.

If the fish is the result of fishing, then the carcasses are prepared for further consumption as quickly as possible. First, the carcasses are cut up, and then pre-frozen on a tray without individual packaging - to prevent freezing.

Advice! For proper storage of fresh carcasses, it is recommended to send them directly to a thermal bag for transportation.

It is important to select sealed packaging - thermal bags are suitable for this. The optimal conditions for preserving the freshness of fish products are vacuum packaging. Packaged fish must have a label indicating the weight of the carcass, the start date of storage, the type of fish and its intended further use.

Before placing prepared carcasses in the freezer, you need to activate the “Super Freeze” mode. This function allows you to quickly lower the temperature in the freezer or low-temperature chest, which will create a reserve of cold. This reserve will prevent the temperature from rising above the set limit when loading a large volume of non-frozen product into the freezer at a time. Frozen fish must be stored for no more than 6-12 months, depending on the concentration of fat in a particular variety. The more fat in the carcass, the faster it will spoil.

Features of storing fresh fish

In the absence of a refrigerator, fresh catch is stored at temperatures up to +5°C in a wicker basket . A fresh, uneviscerated carcass is stored until cooled or frozen for several hours.

How and how long can fresh fish be stored in the refrigerator without freezing?

Rinse the carcass with cold running water, remove the gills, cut out the insides . Then remove the scales, rinse again and wrap in paper towels until the moisture is completely absorbed. Pour in coarse table salt, wrap in film and place in the refrigerator.

The temperature should not exceed 0°C. Fresh catch is stored in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.

How to store fish in the freezer

The shelf life of chilled fish in the refrigerator is extended by placing it in the freezer . Cut the gutted fish carcass into pieces, wrap each in cling film and place in the freezer not too close to each other so that the pieces do not stick together and freeze faster. Chilled fish can be stored in the freezer for 3-6 months at a temperature of -15°C.

How long can fish be stored in vacuum packaging?

The shelf life of fish in a vacuum in the refrigerator is no more than 10 days from the date of production . The packaging must not be damaged. The opened product is stored for no more than 3-4 hours.

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How to defrost fish

Fish that has been frozen must defrost correctly. It is optimal when the carcasses or their parts thaw on their own - first in the refrigerator compartment, and only then at room temperature (+18...+25 ̊C). When you plan to use a fish product for soup or as part of another dish, it is permissible to use a semi-thawed product. When planning to bake or fry, the seafood must be completely defrosted. It is forbidden to refreeze seafood - if it is completely thawed, it must be heat treated.

Folk ways to keep fish fresh

When for some reason it is not possible to keep fish in a refrigerator, then it is permissible to use traditional storage methods that do not require special equipment or costs. A cleaned carcass can remain fresh for two days when it is well sprinkled with salt inside and out, and then wrapped in a towel, which was previously moistened with a solution of 2 tsp. sugar and vinegar. If you salt fish like this, it is suitable for eating for no more than two days.

It is possible to extend the storage period for another day if you not only salt the fish, but also add black pepper and leave the carcass in a well-ventilated room. In addition to the above, it is advisable to send fish for storage on the balcony when the air temperature is no more than +2 ̊C.

It is possible to extend the shelf life of fresh fish if you cook it in brine - a strong salty solution, when so much of this mineral is added to the water that the potato does not sink to the bottom of the container.

Reference! When fishing, it is possible to prolong the freshness of the catch if you bury a tightly closed bucket with the fish that was caught in the ground near the reservoir.

The healthiest and tastiest fish is fresh, therefore, if you need to bring vitamins and other necessary elements from fish into the body, you need to not only choose certain types of fish (red - salmon, salmon, pink salmon, trout) that have sufficient fat content (smelt , omul), but don’t keep it in the refrigerator for long. It is also important to cook correctly - you should not fry fillets or fish steaks in a large amount of fat, making the fish oily. When you plan to fry such a product, the pan must be virtually dry and fry with a minimum amount of oil.

How to prepare fish for storage?

Before storing fish, it must be processed. Let us remember the well-known saying: a fish rots from the head. First you need to separate the head from the fish carcass, and then remove the insides. You can ask for the fish to be cleaned and cut up when purchasing. Now many stores provide this service. The seller will clean the fish efficiently, and its shelf life after being gutted will increase:

Before storing fish in the refrigerator, you need to wash it thoroughly.

Wipe thoroughly both outside and inside, using a napkin or paper towel so that no moisture remains. The exception is fish fillet. It should not be washed before refrigerating.

Freshness of hot smoked fish

Such a product can last in the refrigerator provided that the temperature is maintained at -2...+2 ̊C for 3 days, and if this dish is frozen to -30 ̊C, the shelf life increases to one month. Before use, you must allow the hot smoked carcass to gradually, without forced heating, reach a temperature of +8 ̊̊C in the refrigerator compartment.

How long to store frozen fish

Frozen fish lasts the longest. However, the shelf life is determined by the biological variety of the animal and the surrounding temperature conditions.

There are conditions regulated by state standards, according to which the storage temperature should not exceed -18 degrees. When using industrial refrigeration chambers, it is recommended to set the temperature regulator to -25 degrees. Frozen fish can be stored for 3-10 months. Some types - saury, sardine, even after freezing, last no more than 2 months. Other species - sea bass, pollock - can be stored for 1 year.

The freezing method also affects the storage duration:

• Natural freezing. Fish has a relatively short shelf life. After thawing, the natural structure is disrupted.
• Artificial wet freezing. The surface of the fish is covered with a thin ice crust. Shelf life is average.
• Shock freezing. Implies a sharp drop in temperature to -30 degrees. The product is stored much longer.

Freshness of cold smoked fish

With cold smoking and a temperature of -2..-5 ̊C, it is permissible to keep the fish for up to 75 days. But a lot depends on the type:

• herring – 45-60 days;
• balyk herring, horse mackerel, mackerel, notothenia, horse mackerel, whitefish – 15-30 days;
• mackerel – 45-60 days;
• horse mackerel – 45-60 days.

At temperatures of -2...+2 ̊С, it is undesirable to keep fish products subjected to cold smoking for more than 3-4 days.

How to store lightly salted and marinated fish

The temperature range for storing pickled and lightly salted fish products is 0…+1 ̊С. In stores, if there are refrigerated chambers, heavily salted fish remains fresh for up to 30 days. When the product is spicy, medium salted or marinated in brine - 10-15 days, and lightly salted fish can last for up to 6 days without spoiling.

Attention! In uncooled rooms, the storage period is reduced by half, and the optimal air humidity for salted fish products is 90%, in the case of saltless fish products - 75...80%.

Salt

Salted fish has already undergone primary processing. The terms and methods of its storage differ from fresh ones.

1. How to preserve salted herring at home:

• Vacuum packaging. If you purchased the product in the manufacturer's vacuum packaging, store it in it;

The absence of air will allow salted fish in vacuum packaging to maintain quality for up to 30 days

• Paper. The salted fish can be wrapped in parchment paper or cloth and placed in the refrigerator;
• Solution and sunflower oil. Fish can be stored in saline solution or sunflower oil for 90 days if the container is tightly closed;
• Wooden boxes . Dry salting of fish in wooden boxes under pressure will help preserve several kilograms of fish for up to three months. This method is a great space saver in the refrigerator.

1. How long does herring last in the refrigerator?

Salted herring can be stored in the refrigerator from several days to six months. It all depends on the chosen storage methods.

• Brine - up to 4 weeks;
• Without brine in glass or plastic containers - 2 days;
• Vacuum packaging - 30-35 days;
• Sunflower oil - 3-4 days;
• Freezer - 6 months.

1. Is it possible to freeze salted red fish?

Red fish can weigh 3-4 kg. It's not always possible to eat it quickly. Then lightly salted fish can be frozen. For this:

1. Dry the fillets using napkins.
2. Wrap each piece in a clean cloth without washing off the salt and spices.
3. Let the red fish chill in the refrigerator for 24 hours.

To prevent the shelf life of the fish from being shortened and it not getting dry in the refrigerator, cover it with cling film. Photo: ad-cd.net

1. The next day, remove the cloth, place each piece in a plastic bag, expel excess air and place in the freezer.

Storing dried fish

Cured, dried and dried fish can be stored for up to one year at a temperature of -5...-8 C. There are several household options for maintaining the freshness of dried fish products:

1. The carcass is wrapped in paper or newspapers and left cool.
2. A hot candle is placed in a large jar along with the carcass and the container is closed with a lid. When the oxygen runs out, the candle goes out, and the fish is edible for 2-3 months.
3. Dried fish can be frozen, then it maintains its own freshness for up to 10 months.

Attention! When dried fish product is stored in a plastic bag, it deteriorates much more quickly, so you should not keep such a delicacy in cellophane.

How long does fried fish last in the refrigerator?

Fried raba will keep for 48 hours. When serving, the dish should be consumed within 2-3 hours. Next, the food is put into cool storage. Boiled fish can be kept in the refrigerator for the same amount of time.

Be sure to read:

All ways to store dried fish at home

Before serving, the product must be heated using a frying pan into which a small amount of oil is poured. Boiled fish should be boiled in fish broth.

Storing smoked fish

Smoked fish products can retain their nutritional value for 72 hours at a temperature of -2...+2 ̊С from the moment of completion of processing. Under vacuum in film packaging, serving slices of such products can remain edible for 20 days (Far Eastern salmon - no more than 3 days) at a temperature of -4...0 ̊C. In cardboard packs, smoked fish can be eaten within 15 days from the date of packaging. At temperatures of -8...-4 ̊C, the fish can survive in the case of vacuumization for up to 35 days (Far Eastern salmon - up to 10 days), when the product was packaged without vacuum - the shelf life is up to 10 from the moment of packaging.

Seafood storage

Shellfish, shrimp, lobsters and crabs, as well as their meat that has been boiled, must be stored at a temperature not exceeding +2 °C. The storage period for these delicacies does not exceed 1-2 days. In the case of live mussels, oysters and other bivalves, the storage period reaches 2-3 days at temperatures of +5...+10 ̊С.

Storage conditions for fish products in accordance with accepted standards

The table shows standards for the permissible storage time of specific types of fish products at certain temperatures.

Cooling

Before placing the fish in the refrigerator, it is removed from the stove and kept until it reaches room temperature. Then they are transferred to plastic or enamel containers with lids and placed on the bottom shelf. If special containers are not available, you can use a plate well wrapped in cling film or tightly folded aluminum foil.

You cannot store fish in a cast iron frying pan, even if it has been fried there. This metal reacts with foods and accelerates the oxidation of omega-3s.

Without knowing how long fried fish can be stored in the refrigerator, it is easy to get food poisoning. This is due to the fact that in the early stages of decomposition the product looks and smells like fresh, but the amount of toxins in it is no longer safe for the human body. The general rules are as follows: cooked fish can be stored in the main compartment of the refrigerator for up to 3 days, in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Do you use expired food for cooking at home?

Yes, the main thing is to process it if it is meat or expired kefir for pancakes.

27.72%

No, it is very dangerous and not useful.

36.37%

If the products have fungus or mold, then we throw them away; if they are a couple of days past their expiration date, we use them for food, even without heat or other treatment.

35.91%

Voted: 1952

Time and storage conditions for cooked fish products

After heat treatment, fish dishes are stored in different ways - the exact time during which the cooked food will not spoil depends on the conditions in which it is kept and the exact recipe:

1. At room temperature (+16...+25 ̊С) cooked fish cannot last long. The maximum allowable time for such downtime is up to 3 hours, then the dish begins to rapidly deteriorate if it is not sent to a refrigerator or frozen.
2. Fried fish cannot sit in the refrigerator for more than 60 hours without spoiling. In this case, the temperature regime in the refrigeration compartment must correspond to the range of +3…+6 ̊С. Before consumption, such fish is heated for several minutes in the microwave in order to destroy any harmful microorganisms that have appeared.
3. When thermally processed fish is one of the components of another dish, it must be eaten within 24 hours. When more than a day has passed, it is undesirable to eat this dish, as there is a risk of developing intestinal infections. This statement is also true for fish soups, as well as fish soup.
4. Freezing helps extend the storage time of fish dishes. But even in frozen form, heat-treated fish cannot last for more than two weeks.

Attention! Some people think that fried fish products can stay in the refrigerator for a week and not lose freshness. Also, there is an opinion that a spoiled product can be “resurrected” by subjecting it to repeated heat treatment. But this is not true - eating such dishes is dangerous to health, as serious food poisoning can develop.

Even in the absence of a specific odor, harmful bacteria in the dish have already developed enough that heat treatment does not destroy them. Even after being in the refrigerator for two days, it is no longer advisable to eat fish, since if it tastes bitter, it means it has spoiled. This dish must be disposed of; it cannot be fed to pets.

General requirements for SanPiN

According to regulations, hot smoked fish cannot be stored for more than 48 hours.

It is advisable to use it before the end of the third day. If certain rules are met, the period is extended. This applies to a product prepared in an industrial environment. To store hot smoked homemade fish, there are rules that must be followed.

Methods for storing smoked fish

When choosing where to store hot smoked fish, many people prefer the refrigerator. It is possible to preserve the product in nature. How long hot smoked fish is stored depends on the conditions under which it is stored.

In a refrigerator

The shelf life of fish placed in the refrigerator depends on the operating temperature. The product will be preserved under the following conditions:

• +3-+6°С – 2 days;
• -2-+2°С – 3 days.

It is important that the product does not become saturated with additional flavors in the refrigerator. Smoked meat is wrapped in parchment paper, foil, cling film if there is no container or vacuum bag. To prevent spoilage of the batch, fish should be wrapped separately. If mold or bacteria develop in one fish, the rest will remain usable. To ensure a long shelf life, the carcasses, cooled after hot smoking, are placed in the refrigerator. They are ventilated in fresh air, which helps to reduce the humidity of the product. This has a positive effect on shelf life.

In the freezer

Before freezing a hot smoked product, it is important not to take any action other than cooling it under natural conditions. To preserve, each fish is wrapped in cling film or placed in a vacuum bag. This will help:

• speed up the freezing process, which should be as fast as possible;
• make defrosting comfortable and prevent surface deformation during defrosting.

The packaged product is placed in the freezer. Smoked meat will last up to 1-2 months, depending on the temperature. When storing a product in the freezer, it is important to follow the rules for subsequent dispensing. Step by step will preserve the appearance and taste of the product:

• 5-6 hours of thawing in the refrigerator at a temperature of +3-+6°C;
• 2-3 hours defrosting at room temperature.

Following the technology will allow you to save maximum juices in smoked meats.

If you warm up hot smoked fish in the microwave immediately before eating, you will be able to get a product that is as close as possible to a freshly prepared product.

On the balcony

In the cold season, a balcony is used instead of a refrigerator. The storage temperature of hot smoked fish should not be higher than +6°C. It will be possible to save the product for 3 days. You can store smoked meats:

• in a corrugated cardboard box;
• on a wire, having previously wrapped the carcasses in bags or bags.

To cool the smoked meat to the optimal temperature, use food ice, which is placed between the layers of fish.

In saline solution

Concentrated brine solution is an alternative way to preserve smoked fish. Prepare brine in a 2:1 ratio of water and salt. After the salt has completely dissolved, gauze or a piece of cloth is placed into the liquid. After impregnation, the product is thoroughly squeezed out, the fish is wrapped in fabric, placed in a container or wrapped in paper for further storage at a temperature not exceeding +6°C. A high concentration of salt in the solution will lead to the appearance of salt deposits. Before use, carcasses should be wiped with refined oil to remove the film.

Outdoors

To store fish in field conditions, special devices are used - thermal bags. A simple method is to place the fish in a plastic bag and immerse it in water. This could be a pond, a bucket of spring water. To preserve the quality of the product during the day, a hole is dug and covered with film. Smoked fish is laid out on top and covered with gauze soaked in vinegar or paper. Gauze is used to repel insects that carry pathogens.

Results

Fish is a product that has many beneficial properties for the human body. To get only benefits from eating seafood and not cause harm, you should handle them correctly. It is undesirable to store fish products beyond the period recommended by SanPiN, since such products can pose a danger to human health even after heat treatment.

Fish dishes also have an extremely short shelf life, during which they maintain freshness. You cannot cook fish products or eat cooked fish dishes after the recommended storage period has expired. This can lead to poisoning, even in the absence of signs of spoilage. The less fish products are left in the refrigerator, the tastier they are.

Video: How to preserve your catch (large fish) in the heat and bring it home [salapinru]

How to preserve your catch (large fish) in the heat and bring it home [salapinru]

Watch this video on YouTube

Video: How to properly store fish

Watch this video on YouTube

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