The delicate nature of fish and seafood requires extra care and attention during the cooking process. Because the muscles are much softer and the connective tissue is weaker than their land counterparts, it is easy to overcook and ruin their flavors and textures.
Cooking fish is a balancing act between making sure the meat is cooked through, with any harmful bacteria destroyed, and preventing it from drying out. Unlike red meat, there is rarely any scope for different levels of doneness: the fish is either undercooked, cooked or overcooked.
As with any food, it's important to handle seafood safely to avoid foodborne illness, sometimes called food poisoning. Follow these safe handling tips for buying, preparing, and storing fish and shellfish – and you and your family can safely enjoy the fine taste and good nutrition of seafood.
Raw or undercooked fish may also harbor the most common food-poisoning bacteria, Salmonella, which causes about 1.2 million illnesses, 23,000 hospitalizations and 450 deaths in the US every year, according to the CDC. Food is the source of most of these illnesses.
Fish can become infected by bacteria such as Listeria, Vibrio, Clostridium, and Salmonella. These bacteria can cause a wide range of symptoms including nausea, upset stomach, diarrhea, and vomiting. Tapeworms, roundworms, and liver flukes are parasites that can live in fish.
Overcooking is the most common mistake most people make when they cook fish. It's also the worst, since fish that's left in the pan too long turns tough, dry, and tasteless. Cook times vary for different types of fish, but in general, you want to stay in the range of 3 to 5 minutes per side.
Overcooking the food is one of the most common mistakes when cooking fish and seafood. Overcooked pan-fried fish, unfortunately, is dry, tasteless, and tough. The range is generally 3 to 5 minutes per side. For faultless cooking use your meat thermometer.
Overcooked fish loses its natural moisture, which can result in a dry and chewy texture. The proteins in the fish also begin to tighten, which can make the fish tough and rubbery. In addition, overcooked fish can have a severe lack of flavor, as the heat causes the natural oils in the fish to evaporate.
Parasites are a concern, and the innards will make it harder for heat to propagate through the meat. Longer cooking times to ensure the insides are properly cooked mean a greater chance of overcooking the outer meat if you're not careful.
It's always best to cook seafood thoroughly to minimize the risk of foodborne illness. However, if you choose to eat raw fish anyway, one rule of thumb is to eat fish that has been previously frozen. Some species of fish can contain parasites, and freezing will kill any parasites that may be present.
Washing raw fish can spread bacteria
Per WebMD, fish is similar to poultry in that washing it raw can cause any bacteria to spread around your sink and kitchen, increasing the likelihood you will get sick. Raw fish is known to contain dangerous bacteria, including salmonella, listeria, and clostridium.
Bring along a cooler with plenty of ice to store your catch until you get home - make sure the lid seals tightly. To preserve a fresh taste, clean your fish as soon as possible. It's best to eat the fish the same day you catch it. If this is not possible, you can store it your refrigerator for 2-3 days.
Before placing your catch directly into your fridge, make sure you wash it in cold water and dry it with a paper towel. After the fish has been washed, you can then wrap it in wax paper, plastic wrap, or aluminum foil and place it in the fridge. Typically, your fresh fish will last up for two days in the fridge.
Try to release your fish gently head first into the water, which helps push water through the mouth and over the gills, and helps to resuscitate the fish.
Fishing hooks and rods can be dangerous if not handled with care, and there is a risk of lead poisoning for anglers who make their own lead sinkers. Drowning and accidents are a risk when rock and ledge fishing, boat fishing or surf fishing.
Both instrumental and sensory methods are used to assess the safety of fish and fish products. Among these methods, sensory methods are often considered the most effective way of assessing the spoilage and freshness of fish and fishery products.
intrinsic composition, nutritive value, degree of contamination, spoilage, deterioration etc. chemical nature of fish(fresh or marine) control the number and types of microorganisms involved in the spoilage process.