We focus on GOST and SanPiN: what is the shelf life of chilled fish?
Refrigerating fish allows you to extend its shelf life. But the product is still perishable.
To preserve the nutritional quality when storing fish, it is necessary to follow the rules and strictly follow the technology.
What is the shelf life of chilled fish, in what conditions should the product be stored, we will tell you further.
Content
What it is?
During the first couple of hours after catching or while the fish remains alive, it is considered fresh. After this, the process of decay begins in the tissues. To slow down spoilage, the product must be refrigerated.
Prepared industrially, it must meet organoleptic characteristics. At food industry enterprises During cooling, all main parameters are controlled:
- Appearance.
- Cutting method.
- Consistency.
- Smell.
The listed parameters differ depending on the type of fish product. There is no varietal division during cooling. Both uncut and cut fish can be cooled.
In what conditions is it stored, according to regulatory documents?
Storage of industrially prepared chilled fish is carried out in accordance with fundamental documents.Among them are GOST 814-96 and SanPiN 2.3.4.050-96.
They define processing rules and regulate storage procedures. Chilled products are stored in special chambers. The temperature must be maintained from 0 to -2? C.
The method of cooling products is one of the promising areas in the fishing industry. With this method, the maximum possible amount of nutrients and taste are preserved.
Cooling fish can significantly slow down the decomposition process, but cannot completely stop it.
What determines the shelf life?
Fresh fish can be stored for up to 72 hours. Chilled - more. Duration of its lying without loss of quality depends on the following factors:
- carcass size;
- seasonality;
- storage conditions.
Storage conditions and proper preparation are also very important. The carcasses themselves must be fresh before cooling. During transportation and distribution, chilled fish must be kept on ice. Additional processing using special compounds can extend the storage time.
Time frame
In the sales areas of stores for chilled fish, the temperature is maintained around 2-4? C. The room in which perishable products are stored must have well-organized ventilation.
Temperature must be monitored at all times – at least 2 times a day, humidity – at least once a week.
The best option is to immediately cook and eat the purchased chilled fish. But there are situations when the product still needs to be held.The best option is to use a refrigerator for this.
In a refrigerator
It is difficult to ensure the temperature in the refrigerator compartment does not exceed 0? C. As a rule, this figure is higher there, and is about +5 or +6? C.
But in some devices there is a separate compartment with a temperature of 0? C, you can also use it. Additional cooling can be achieved by installing an ice container.
Another difficulty lies in the fact that the ice will inevitably begin to melt, and the fish may end up in the water. This cannot be allowed. Once in water, the product will quickly deteriorate.
For cooling, it is advisable to use coarsely crushed ice - frozen water. You can also use artificial ice, but only if it is food grade and safe for health.
Once optimal conditions are reached in the refrigerator, keeping chilled fish for longer than 3 days is not recommended. If you need to further extend the shelf life of carcasses, then fish should not just be placed on ice, but immersed entirely in it. This treatment will allow the product to be stored for 10-12 days if the carcasses are cut up. Whole ones will last less - no more than a week.
In the freezer
The freezer can significantly extend the shelf life of fish. Before such processing, carcasses must be sorted and sorted. Place the fish separately in batches. Further storage periods depend on the choice of freezing temperature and type:
| Temperature, ?С | Duration of storage taking into account the variety, months. | ||
| Flat shape | Low-fat | Fatty | |
| -18 | 10 | 9 | 5 |
| -24 | 18 | 12 | 9 |
| -30 | 24 | 24 | 12 |
If the temperature is higher than -15? C, then the storage period is reduced to 6 months, and fatty varieties – only up to 90 days. Fish that has already been thawed should not be re-frozen. Fish that has been frozen is no longer considered chilled.
At room temperature
Without being in the refrigerator, the product begins to heat up very quickly. When its temperature rises above 0? C, it ceases to be considered refrigerated.
In this case, it is necessary to cook the fish almost immediately, maximum – within a couple of hours.
In summer the thawing process goes even faster. In this case, the fish should be covered with gauze or cotton cloth to protect it from insect invasion.
In the off-season, you can extend the shelf life of the product on the veranda or balcony. The air temperature should not be higher than +5? C, and the product should not be exposed to sunlight.
The higher the air temperature at the location of the chilled fish, the faster it will spoil.
Vacuum packed
Vacuum packaging allows you to extend shelf life due to the fact that inside the package there are no conditions for the development of pathogenic microorganisms. With proper processing and high-quality sealing, the fish can be kept in such a bag for 4 weeks.
Rules
Rules for keeping fish begin with preparation for storage. The processing algorithm includes a number of stages, including cleaning, removal of gills and fins. Be sure to rinse the carcasses under running water and dry them with napkins.
Large individual
It is advisable to remove the giblets from large fish.. This is due to the fact that they are the ones who most often initiate the spoilage process.
If there is milk or caviar, they should be separated.Unnecessary entrails are thrown away. Milk and caviar can be salted and used as a separate dish. It is advisable to separate large carcasses from each other.
Small
It is not recommended to gut small fish. Whole carcasses preserve juiciness and taste better. During storage, it is advisable to distribute small fish in a thin layer so that they cool evenly.
Signs of damage
If stored for too long (longer than the rules regulate) or if the conditions of storage and/or procurement are violated, the fish may begin to deteriorate.
The following signs may indicate this:
darkened gills (should be light pinkish);- odor disturbance;
- cloudy eyes;
- flaky disintegrating pulp;
- presence of parasites;
- swollen abdomen;
- unpleasant uncharacteristic odor;
- stickiness.
It should also be taken into account that for any chilled fish (with the exception of sturgeon), a mild sourish odor from the gills is considered normal.
How to check the freshness of a refrigerated product can be found in the video:
Conclusion
Storing chilled fish, like any perishable product, must be carried out according to the rules. If all conditions are met, the product will not lose its characteristics and taste. when preparing dishes.
Otherwise, if you ignore the rules of maintenance and processing, there will be a risk of poisoning and serious unpleasant consequences for the body.
