An important question: how long can you store fish in the freezer and how correctly?
Fish is one of the valuable, healthy and tasty foods in the diet. Its main disadvantage is its very limited shelf life.
Freezing helps solve the problem. It is a common way to extend shelf life, preserve taste, appearance and beneficial nutrients.
This processing method has its own characteristics that must be taken into account. We will tell you later how long you can store fish in the freezer.
Content
Can it be kept in the freezer?
Freezing is a method of processing fish during which it is exposed to low temperatures. It could be:
- place in the freezer,
- use of liquid nitrogen,
- and even natural frost in the North.
Cooling to -10? C and lower temperatures allows you to store the product longer, transport it in refrigerators and store it in retail outlets on the shelves.
Fresh frozen - exposed to temperatures down to -5? C using ice or cold water. In a household refrigerator, you can store fish in the freezer if you follow all the rules.
Types of freezing
Its storage will largely depend on how the fish was frozen.
There are three main types of freezing:
- Artificial.
- Natural.
- Shock.
Shock
The technique is considered expensive. It is based on intensive blowing of products with streams of dry cold air from different sides. The temperature should be about -30? C.
Special freezers are used for this. This method allows you to preserve a significant part of the nutrients in the fish and preserve its taste.
Not every freezer is capable of providing such rapid cooling conditions.
Natural
This method can only be implemented in the North. The product is frozen after being caught in natural conditions. In this case, there is no way to avoid temperature changes during the freezing process.
The freezing method is considered cheap. But with this approach, the taste most often suffers, and the quality of the product decreases.
Artificial
The artificial freezing method is the most popular. This approach is used for conservation in the fish processing industry - in workshops and directly on vessels engaged in fishing.
Methods for freezing fish and their features are discussed in this article.
Shelf life
Fish storage conditions are regulated by GOST and SanPin. The shelf life of a product is influenced by a number of factors:
- temperature;
- freezing technique;
- type of fish;
- fat content of the product.
Fresh
How long can fresh fish last? This is a perishable product, not subject to long-term storage.
It can be left in the refrigerator for no more than two days.
When placed in the freezer, the product ceases to be fresh and becomes frozen. Before that carcasses must be prepared and gutted.
Frozen
Frozen fish in retail outlets can remain for a couple of weeks at a temperature of -5 or -6? C. If conditions provide only 0? C, then no more than three days.
Fresh frozen product is kept on trays with ice. The temperature should be around -2?C. Storage duration is up to 1.5 weeks. When determining the exact shelf life of fish, it is important to consider the variety.
Red
How long does red fish last in the freezer compartment of the refrigerator? Freezing red varieties allows you to preserve the delicious product for a long time. If the temperature is maintained at -18? C, the product can last for six months.
Read more about the shelf life of frozen fish Here. Is it possible to keep smoked fish in the freezer? this article, salty - this.
Shelf life depending on the variety
Product grade is one of the determining factors when specifying storage periods. Below are data on frozen fresh fish:
| Variety | Duration, months |
| Sprat, goby | 3 |
| Halibut, catfish, carp, perch, pike | 6-8 |
| Pollock | 6 |
| Trout, salmon, pink salmon | 8 |
| Saira, sardine | 2 |
| Mackerel, sturgeon | 7 |
| Other marine | 6 |
| Other freshwater | 8 |
The shelf life can be reduced taking into account the quality of the product, the characteristics of refrigeration equipment, transportation features, etc. If there is no urgent need to leave the fish lying for the entire possible period of time, it is advisable to cook it earlier.
Conditions
When storing fish in the freezer a stable temperature must be maintained (best - 18? C, or in the range from -17? C to -20? C), without changes.
Humidity should be 85-95%. Fish is capable of giving off smell to other foods and absorbing aromas. To prevent this from happening, it is necessary to ensure that it is stored separately from other products.
Placing fish in vacuum packaging can prevent fish from drying out in the freezer. To make it convenient to use a frozen product, it must be packaged in portions.
Preparation
It is best when the fish that you plan to freeze is still alive. But you can also prepare just fresh. The product should not raise doubts about its quality, either in consistency or appearance. The smell of fresh fish is weak. The longer it lies, the stronger and more pronounced it becomes.
At home, freezing is carried out artificially - in the freezer.
In this case, the preparation stage is important, which includes:
- Cleaning scales.
- Evisceration.
- Washing.
- Drying.
- Large varieties can be cut into pieces.
Before placing in the freezer, the prepared fish must be packaged. A container or bag may be used. If possible, it is advisable to separate fish products in the freezer from vegetables, fruits and other products that are already there.
If you plan to freeze the carcasses separately, then this can be done on a tray, separating the carcasses from each other. After freezing, they can be transferred to packaging in which they will remain further.
The lower the temperature in the freezer, the longer the product can remain in it.
Additional processing – glazing
If fatty fish is to be frozen, it is advisable to pre-treat it - glaze it. This treatment prevents moisture loss by forming a protective layer of ice.
The procedure is performed as follows:
- The carcasses are being prepared.
- Water cooled to 1-2°C is poured into the container. You can dilute a little citric or ascorbic acid.
- The carcasses are immersed in the solution.
- The fish is removed and placed in the refrigerator.
When left in the freezer for a long time, the glaze layer becomes thinner over time, and a repeat glazing procedure may be necessary to restore it.
You can see how glazing is done in the video:
Conclusion
Storing fish in the freezer allows you to extend the shelf life of the product. Wherein it is very important to strictly follow the processing and maintenance technology, and do not use the product for food after the expiration date.
