How long can fresh and live fish be stored under different conditions?

Tested in practice - it is almost impossible to purchase fresh, elastic dried or dried fish. On the shelves are either stone-hardened specimens or yellowed, expired specimens. But it also happens that a new shipment arrives and a product of decent quality. They buy this stuff for future use.

And if among your relatives and friends there are avid fishermen, then delicious roach and ram are never left on the table. A lot of work and effort has been put into such a product. And it is necessary to store dried fish so that the snack lasts as long as possible without losing its properties. There are several ways, let's look at each of them in detail.

Shelf life of fresh and live fish

Often in retail outlets and specialized stores you can see how fish are kept alive in special aquariums. At first glance it may seem that these are the optimal conditions for its storage. This is partly true, but provided that live fish is stored according to the following rules:

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• Not every fish can be stored alive in an artificial aquarium before being sold. This way you can preserve fish, which are not too demanding on the quality of water and the level of oxygen contained in it.
• Storage aquariums cannot receive water from ponds with a high content of phytoplankton.
• When using tap water for storage, it must be treated to remove chlorine. Typically, such cleaning is carried out by blowing air through water, activated carbon or special filters.
• The aquarium must have a suitable temperature, since if it is exceeded, pathogenic microorganisms begin to multiply very quickly, which lead to the death of the fish.
• The maximum storage period for live fish in specialized aquariums cannot exceed 2 days.

In addition, fish is stored chilled in stores. The temperature of such storage depends on the thickness of the meat in the spine area. By standards, the temperature ranges from -1-5 degrees. The permissible temperature maximum will be +5 degrees.

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This method gives the highest quality product - the structure of the meat fibers is completely preserved. Chilled fish can be stored for up to 12 days. In this case, the bacteria do not die, but only slow down their vital activity, which is why longer storage in this form is impractical.

Fresh or freshly dried fish can be stored refrigerated. The shelf life is affected by the thermal conductivity of a particular type of product. Therefore, it is impossible to give exact shelf life in this form. In addition, the shelf life depends on the fat content of the carcass and the size of the individual.

To cool the product use:

• low temperature sea water;
• ice (crushed or chopped into pieces, natural or artificial);
• special brine, cooled to the required temperatures.

The duration of storage also depends on this (to extend the shelf life, special preparations are often added to water or ice). Such preparations can extend the shelf life of chilled fish by another 3-5 days, but their use is not recommended.

Often the product is stored in an ice glaze. This method allows you to extend the shelf life, but often leads to a decrease in the quality of the product.

Fresh fish can be easily identified by the following signs:

• closed mouth and gill wings (gills should be red or pink);
• tightly fitting scales;
• bulging and clear eyes;
• absence of stains on the skin;
• not a swollen abdomen;
• the presence of natural mucus and the absence of a repulsive odor.

How long is this period and what does it depend on?

Shelf life ranges from 24 hours in room conditions to 12 months in the freezer and depends on:

• biological subspecies;
• cooking method;
• storage locations;
• fish packaging.

Based on GOSTs, the following periods are determined during which fish can be eaten:

• when stored at room temperature - from 2 hours to 2 months;
• in the refrigerator – from 24 hours to 9 months;
• in the freezer - from 2 weeks to 1 year.

GOST standards have been introduced in relation to fresh and prepared products.

For frozen

Here you should be guided by GOST 32366-2013 dated November 8, 2013. There are also separate standards for different biological species and fish and depending on the method of cutting and purpose, including:

• cut and uncut - R 51493-99 dated 12/22/1999;
• small – GOST 32744-2014 dated 07/03/2014;
• special cutting - GOST 17660-97 dated January 21, 1998;
• fillets of marine species - R 51494-99 dated December 22, 1999;
• fillet for feeding children - GOST 33282-2015 dated 08/03/2015;
• cod fillets “extra” - R 56417-2015 dated May 29, 2015;
• mackerel, marlin, swordfish, sailfish and tuna - GOST 17661-2013 dated November 22, 2013.

Fish is frozen in the following ways:

• natural;
• wet;
• dry

It is not recommended to store a frozen product indoors, except until it is defrosted.

Products that have already been thawed cannot be re-frozen.

Frozen fish can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 72 hours.

Different biological types of freshly frozen fish, depending on the freezing method, have different shelf life when they are constantly in the freezer - from 2 weeks to 12 months.

Most freshwater unprocessed fish last in the freezer for about 6 months, marine fish for about 4 months, especially:

• pike, pike perch, catfish, perch, flounder, carp – 6 months;
• pollock, cod – 4 months.

Glazed fish lasts longer:

• freshwater – 8 months;
• pink salmon, sturgeon – 7 months;
• sea ​​(including pollock) – 6 months;
• pollock, cod, salmon - 4 months.

For your information, glazed fish is frozen in a thin crust of ice. According to Russian standards, there should not be more than 5% ice on products.

Frozen fish is recommended to be stored at -18°C. In the freezer from -5 to -6°C - conditions for storing frozen products for up to 2 weeks, and around 0°C - for three days.

The shelf life and storage of products in vacuum packaging are reduced to 4-5 days, fish fillets - to 48 hours, carcasses in pieces - to 9-10 hours at a temperature of about 0°C.

Hot and cold smoked

For smoked products, you should be guided by General Specifications 11482-96 dated 08/27/1997. There are also separate standards developed depending on the smoking method, including for smoked products:

• Cold way – TU 11482-96 dated 08/27/1997, and depending on the type of fish:
  salmon and whitefish (GOST 11298-2002 dated October 24, 2002);
• small (GOST 32911-2014 dated September 10, 2014);
• sturgeon balyks (GOST 6481-2015 dated July 24, 2015).
• Hot method - TU 7447-2015 dated 08/03/2015, including for small products - GOST 6606-2015 dated 08/03/2015.

In room conditions, the shelf life of smoked fish does not exceed 24 hours. How long the product will be stored in the refrigerator depends on the smoking method:

• hot – up to 72 hours at temperatures from + 2° C to -2°;
• cold - 8-10 days at temperatures from 0 to -5 ° C and humidity 75 - 80%.

In the freezer, if the temperature is not higher than -18°C, the storage period is as follows:

• hot smoked – up to 1 month;
• cold – up to 75 days.

Before sale, fish should be defrosted at a temperature of up to +8°C. The suitability of cold smoked products depends on:

• storage temperatures;
• fish cutting;
• packaging and biological appearance.

In conditions from 0 to -4° C:

• Products packaged in cardboard packs are stored for no more than 15 days;
• pieces packaged in film under vacuum - up to 20 days;
• salmon – up to 3 days;
• packed without vacuum – no more than 10 days.

In a temperature environment from -4 to -8° C:

• Vacuum-packed fish can be stored for up to 35 days;
• salmon - only up to 15 days;
• packaging without vacuum – up to 10 days, counting from the date of manufacture.

In an environment from -2 to -5°C:

• herring, mackerel and mackerel – 45 – 60 days;
• balyks of herring, mackerel, horse mackerel, notothenia, whitefish – 15 – 30 days.

Salted and lightly salted

The suitability of salted fish is determined on the basis of GOST 7448-2006 dated February 12, 2007. At the same time, there are separate standards for such types of salted fish products as:

• small (GOST 28698-90 dated October 25, 1990);
• whitefish (GOST 16079-2002 dated July 22, 2003);
• caviar (GOST 20352-2012 dated 10/31/2012);
• anchovies and small herrings (GOST 32807-2014 dated July 29, 2014).

Brine increases the period during which the product remains suitable, depending on the amount of salt used. But despite this, it is not recommended to store salted fish at room temperature. The same goes for the freezer.

In the refrigerator, the shelf life of salted fish varies from 2 days to 3 months.

When stored at about 0-3 degrees, different types of products differ greatly in terms of shelf life, especially:

• lightly salted salmon – 2-3 days;
• herring - 15-20 days;
• fatty mackerel – 7-10 days;
• Vacuum packed salmon – up to 1 month;
• lightly salted products – up to 5-6 days;
• medium-salted products – up to 15 days;
• chopped herring, salmon, salmon - up to 3 months in vegetable oil.

Conditions that must be observed when storing lightly salted and pickled products: 0 – +1°C. In the retail chain in refrigerated chambers:

• highly salted fish can be stored for up to 30 days;
• medium salted, spicy and pickled – up to 10-15;
• lightly salted – up to 6 days.

Its shelf life when stored in uncooled areas is reduced by half. Recommended air humidity for preserving salty foods is 90%.

Chilled

There are established standards that indicate how long a fresh product can be stored without freezing in the room and refrigerator:

• live products - GOST 24896-2013 dated November 22, 2013;
• chilled - GOST 814-96 dated 07/30/1996, but there is a separate standard for small - GOST 32004-2012 dated 09/25/2012.

Caught fish can be stored for 2-3 days in a room, in a refrigerator for 24-48 hours. It is not recommended to store chilled products , but use them immediately after refrigeration for cooking.

Sun-dried and dried

For dried products, General Specifications 1551-93 dated 04/07/1994 apply, for freshwater dried products - GOST 33803-2016 dated 09/07/2016. A separate standard 6481-2015 dated July 24, 2015 applies to sturgeon balyk.

Sun-dried and dried or dried-dried fish have different expiration dates:

• in a room environment, the first can remain suitable for up to 2 months, the second for up to 1 month;
• in the refrigerator – up to 6 and 9 months, respectively;
• in the freezer - up to 10 months - dried and up to 1 year - dried.

In an environment from -5 to -8°C, such a product will not deteriorate for about a year.

Dried fish is a seasonal product; it is better to consume it immediately, as fresh fish is tastier and healthier. Do not store such a product in cellophane!

For semi-finished fish products

Semi-finished fish products are fish carcasses, cut up and freed from inedible parts. They all have different expiration dates.

The shelf life of minced fish is determined on the basis of R 55505-2013 dated July 29, 2013. Minced fish remains suitable in the refrigerator for 6 hours, in a special compartment for fish products for 24 hours. The freezer extends the shelf life by almost 3 months.

Boiled shellfish, lobsters, shrimp and crabs should be stored at no more than +2°C. Bivalves require an optimal temperature of +5 to +10°C.

Note! To extend the shelf life of semi-finished fish products, they should be salted.

In a refrigerator

The product can be stored in the refrigerator for no more than 72 hours. Since the ambient temperature in the refrigerator is a maximum of +6 degrees, storing the product for more than the specified period becomes dangerous. Both the temperature and the period are specified in SanPiN 42-123-4117-86.

To do this, the product must be placed in a plastic container with a lid. This will allow you to ignore the proximity of other products. Only gutted fish can be stored. The same goes for storing steaks, fillets, and portioned pieces.

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To successfully store fish in the refrigerator, it must be properly prepared:

• Remove scales, gut, remove gills and fins, tail, rinse under cold water, pat dry thoroughly with a towel.
• Place in a plastic container or enamel pan and cover tightly with a lid.
• To extend the shelf life beyond 2 days, the product should be lightly sprinkled with salt or lemon juice.

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.

In the freezer

The optimal shelf life of the product in the freezer is 2-3 months; some varieties can be stored for up to 1 year without compromising quality. To do this, the following conditions must be met:

• Ambient temperature -18 (as in most home refrigerators). If the freezer is heavily loaded, you need to lower the temperature to -20-24 degrees. With an incomplete load, on the contrary, you can maintain the temperature at -14 degrees.
• Cleaned and gutted carcasses, stripped of gills, washed and dried, are stored for storage. It's even better to divide it into pieces.
• Fish should be frozen immediately after gutting. It must be placed in a bag (each carcass separately). You can wrap the carcasses in paper or put them in a plastic container. Separate storage of fish will allow you to take exactly as many carcasses or pieces as you need at any time, without defrosting the entire batch.

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Important! Only fresh fish that has not been previously stored in the refrigerator is placed in the freezer.

Fish should not be constantly defrosted and re-frozen. As a result, not only its external qualities are lost, but also its taste and nutritional properties are lost.

Defrosting fish after freezing should be as gentle as possible. It is best to leave it overnight on the refrigerator shelf. This will prevent complete defrosting, make the fish more convenient for cutting, and delay the development of pathogenic microorganisms. It is the slightly frozen carcass that is easiest to cut into neat portioned pieces.

How long does fried fish last?

Heat-treated fish can be stored at room temperature for 2-3 hours. During this time, it should cool down and become suitable for use. If the product has not been eaten within the specified period, it should be placed in the refrigerator. The finished dish is stored for 2 days. The temperature should be 3-6°C. Other dishes with the addition of fish ingredients are consumed 24 hours before. Then throw it away to prevent intestinal infections.

Using a freezer can really extend the shelf life of fish. It will be 1.5-2 months (for example, mackerel or herring - 60-80 days, balyk, fillet - 15-30 days). By maintaining a constant temperature, the fish will retain its original taste.

At room temperature

There are situations when you have to store fish at room temperature. For example, if the refrigerator breaks down or the product needs to be transported. To win a few days (3-5, depending on the type of fish and ambient temperature), you need to use the following techniques:

• Immediately clean and gut the fish, remove the gills, rinse thoroughly under cold water, getting rid of mucus and blood.
• Salt is a safe preservative that you always have on hand. The fish should be thoroughly rubbed with salt outside and inside, you can add ground black pepper. After this, the carcass should be wrapped in cotton cloth or gauze and put in the coolest place in the house. You can pre-wet the fabric with vinegar.

  
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• The places where the gills were located should be stuffed with white bread crumbs, previously soaked in vodka.
• Place gutted but not scaled fish in strong brine and press down on top with pressure.
• There is an extraordinary, few-familiar way. You can generously sprinkle the carcass with sugar at the rate of 1 tablespoon per 1 kg of product. Then remove the fish to a cool, dark place. This way it will keep for up to 1 week.

After using any of these methods, the fish should be placed in a cool and dark room, away from direct sunlight.

How to store smoked fish

To ensure appropriate storage conditions, the following rules must be observed:

• constant temperature;
• air access, good ventilation;
• permissible air humidity.

If the fish is prepared by hot smoking, then the minimum consumption period is three days, subject to the following:

• temperature range from -2 to +2 °C;
• humidity 75-80%. It may be extended depending on the conditions of transportation and production. Be sure to provide a constant flow of fresh air. For example, hang it in a well-ventilated area. In winter, a balcony, loggia, pantry is suitable, in summer - a cellar.

A hot smoked product can be frozen at temperatures down to -30 °C and stored for 30 days (it is advisable to maintain a humidity level of 90%).

It is necessary to defrost the carcass by gradually lowering the temperature. First, leave in a cool place for a day, then at room temperature for 2 hours.

Cold smoked products can be stored for a long time under optimal conditions. It is important to ensure a constant supply of fresh air. The longer seafood is in the refrigerator, the worse its taste. It is optimal to eat within 3-4 days. Be sure to inspect the product in the store for mold, changes in appearance, color, or foul odor.

Using a freezer can really extend the shelf life of fish. It will be 1.5-2 months (for example, mackerel or herring - 60-80 days, balyk, fillet - 15-30 days). By maintaining a constant temperature, the fish will retain its original taste.

Vacuum packed

Fish spoils due to the rapid development of bacteria and microorganisms in it in the presence of oxygen. Creating an airless space - a vacuum - helps prevent the activity of pathogens and preserve the freshness of the product for a long time. The advantages of vacuum packaging include:

• Possibility of storing fresh, dried, smoked and prepared fish. In addition, both gutted and completely unpeeled carcasses can be stored in vacuum bags.
• Preserving the structure of meat fibers due to the fact that moisture remains in them.
• Preservation of taste, aroma, vitamins and nutrients.
• Preservation of the structure: it does not lose elasticity, does not become brittle, the meat remains unchanged.
• When storing fish in a vacuum, there is no need to keep food close to the refrigerator or bag.
• The vacuum bag is reliable and durable, does not transmit odors, liquid does not leak out of it, and the bag can often be used several times.

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Important! In a vacuum, you can store raw fish at temperatures up to +3 for 4-5 days, and also at a temperature of -18 degrees for up to 1.5 years.

Maintaining hygienic packaging

After placing the product in vacuum bags, the edge of the bag remains contaminated from contact with the product, retaining a specific odor and creating favorable conditions for the development of microorganisms. To maintain hygiene, when working with fish and seafood products, it is necessary to remove the contaminated edge of the bag. For this purpose, all BOSS brand vacuum packaging machines, including the gastronomic series, have a welded system in the form of a weld seam and a cut string. This allows you not only to seal the bag at the end of the vacuum cycle, but also to immediately remove the excess, contaminated edge of the bag, ensuring packaging hygiene.

In attics or basements

In order to store fresh fish in the attic or basement at a temperature of -1-+5 degrees, it should be scaled, gutted, and the gills removed. After this, you can do one of two things - place it in a plastic container and cover it with ice or sprinkle it generously with salt. In this form, the fish will be perfectly preserved for 48-72 hours without compromising its consumer qualities.

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It is important to ensure that the attic or basement is not too damp. If ice is used, it is important that it does not melt - in this case, water will be absorbed into the fish and the meat will become watery and begin to spoil faster. If the fish has been sprinkled with salt, it will have to be soaked before use.

Optimal storage conditions

How to properly store dried fish so that it does not dry out or, on the contrary, become too moist? The following conditions are recommended for this:

• dark or dimly lit room
• good ventilation inside it
• air temperature around 10 degrees
• humidity – not lower and not much higher than 70%

How long can dried fish be stored when in contact with air and other conditions are met - within several weeks. If you need to store the product for a long time - from two to three months to a year - you need to exclude contact with air. Various methods are used for this - vacuum packaging, a hermetically sealed glass jar, and can also be stored in the freezer of the refrigerator.

Creating the right conditions will ensure the longest shelf life for the treat. At the same time, the taste and other characteristics of the product are completely preserved.

Results

Red fish is a delicious product, during storage of which basic conditions must be observed, otherwise it will lose its benefits and may harm the consumer’s body. Shelf life for trout, salmon and salmon are relatively the same. Salted fish can be frozen, but this must be done in compliance with the basic rules for storing the product.

The most dangerous thing is non-compliance with the rules ensuring the storage of the product. Fish is a rather dangerous product that quickly becomes unusable. 2 hours after storage at room temperature, the processes of rotting and bacterial growth begin. Its consumption is dangerous due to food poisoning. That is why it is extremely important to know and follow the basic recommendations.

Video: shelf-stable lightly salted salmon

Red fish is the name given to delicious species of sturgeon - salmon, trout, chum salmon, and so on. The meat of these sea creatures is rich in vitamins, minerals and fatty acids, which are so beneficial for human health. However, in order for red fish to bring you only benefits, you need to know how to properly and for how long you can store it at home.

Features of salmon storage

Frozen salmon is stored at temperatures of -18 and -200C. So this delicious delicacy fish can last in the freezer for up to six months.

As with any frozen fish, salmon also undergoes gradual changes in the freezer: the longer it is stored, the worse the taste when defrosted. However, if you store salted salmon, its taste will not change noticeably.

It is recommended to store fresh salmon species at home only in the refrigerator at a temperature close to 0 degrees. Fresh, gutted salmon can sit on ice for up to 1 day.

If fresh fish needs to be preserved for several days, it is best to freeze it. To do this, the carcasses are gutted, washed with running water inside and out, then dried with napkins and then frozen in film.

Salted or smoked salmon is perfectly preserved in the refrigerator for up to 5-7 days.

Salmon that you salt yourself can be stored in the brine for up to 4 days in the refrigerator.

Storing salted red fish in the refrigerator

How long red fish will last in a household refrigerator is influenced by several factors: the initial degree of freshness, the method of processing.

A gutted and dried carcass can be stored for 2 days. Fresh, raw and ungutted fish can be stored for no more than 5 hours. Therefore, zealous owners, immediately after purchasing or catching fish, gut it and, after drying it with paper towels, wrap it in film or wax paper. In this form, the fish will last in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

How to keep salmon pieces fresh in the refrigerator:

• Salt or purchase already salted salmon, then rinse with water.
• Dry from moisture with napkins and coat on all sides with refined sunflower oil.
• Place the prepared pieces into a glass, ceramic or enamel container. Plastic absorbs odors, so it is better not to take it.
• Cover tightly and store in the bottom of the refrigerator.

There is a rule: the smaller the fillet pieces, the less salt is required for salting. Too much salt will forever ruin the unique taste of the fish and be harmful to your health.

How to extend the shelf life of a product

It is recommended to store trout or other red fish salted at home in compliance with the rules. A step-by-step recipe will help:

1. The fish is peeled after salting. Only the pulp is sent to the storage container.
2. For long-term storage, sealed containers made of the following materials are suitable: glass, plastic, porcelain.
3. The fish is filled with vegetable oil and food flavorings are added, for example: pepper or bay leaf.
4. The jar is closed and sent to the refrigerator. Storage duration is no more than 30 days, provided that the fish is well salted.

Using the described method, you can extend the shelf life of any red fish, not just trout. Also useful advice: if you need to extend the shelf life of fish by 1-2 days, the product should be placed in a container and wrapped in a towel soaked in a solution of water and table vinegar. The fish is simply placed in the refrigerator; there is no need to cover the container with a lid.