Keeping it Cold; The Key to Seafood Shelf Life

Deterioration of seafood quality starts the second a fish comes out of the water. Whether it's an ocean bright king salmon caught by a troller off Southeast Alaska, or a big, fat striped bass brought on board somewhere off the coast of Virginia, fish comes out of the water as fresh as it's ever going to get. From that point forward it's a race against time to get that product to the end user quickly, and with as little loss in quality as possible, reports www.megafishnet.com with reference to Santa Monica Seafood.

Our best weapon in the fight against quality loss is the cold. Ice, refrigeration systems, insulation, blended margaritas... whatever it takes to bring that fresh fish down to just above freezing as quickly as possible, and then keep it there until you cook it or serve it. Temperature slows the growth of microbes that are ultimately the cause of spoilage.

The time and temperature relationship is important, and it's a key reason why we like to keep the chain of custody of our fish as short as possible. When you know who caught your fish then you most likely know how that fish was handled. We work with fishermen that pay close attention to the temperature of their fish every step of the way.

We also work to help fishermen and processors in more rural or unindustrialized areas improve their opportunities to keep seafood as cold as possible. It's something we focus on when looking at emerging fisheries or potential new suppliers. Although we focus a lot on the sustainability of harvesting methods, safety and quality are equally important to us. Do they have the capacity to chill and hold fresh seafood cold, and if not, are they willing to work with us to develop such a program?

Once we get our hands on fresh fish, keeping it cold is a huge priority; in storage, in our processing rooms, and on our trucks. Once it gets to you, we encourage you to get that fresh fish into a chilled environment as quickly as possible.

If you're concerned with issues of sustainability, then extending shelf life takes on even more importance. The Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program states it simply, "It is to the industry's advantage to make every possible effort to extend the shelf life of all seafood; this will provide the longest possible time to market the product. Maximizing shelf life will get more fresh product on the market." More on the market, less in the trash can - what could be more sustainable than that?

Keep it cold!