Without knowing how long fried fish can be stored in the refrigerator, it is easy to get food poisoning. This is due to the fact that in the early stages of decomposition the product looks and smells like fresh, but the amount of toxins in it is no longer safe for the human body. The general rules are as follows: cooked fish can be stored in the main compartment of the refrigerator for up to 3 days, in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Tips for the hostess
There are some tricks and tips that would be useful for any housewife to know:
- The purchase of fish should be carried out at specialized retail outlets, where all the necessary conditions for preserving fish products are provided.
- Herring must be kept in an airtight container, as it has a strong odor.
- It is prohibited to store products in metal containers. The best containers for this type of product are containers made of ceramics, glass, and food-grade plastic.
- The optimal type of packaging is paper without printing. She will absorb the juices. Otherwise, the growth of pathogenic bacteria in the fish juice is possible.
- When cutting into portions, do not remove the skin. It will protect the fish from drying out.
- It is not advisable to freeze balyk, canned food, or caviar.
- Herring is stored only in a dark room. When exposed to sunlight, the product acquires a bitter taste.
- It is important to follow the rule of product proximity. Meat, cheese, and eggs should not be placed next to fish.
It is necessary to take a responsible approach to the issue of storing such a perishable product as fish. Shelf life depends on the type of fish, the method of its preparation and storage conditions.
Compliance with all safety standards and regulations will not only help you prepare a delicious dish, but will also protect you from possible food poisoning.
Packing fish before storage
For long-term storage of fried fish, not only the temperature in the refrigerator is important, but also the packaging, since it performs several functions at once:
- Localization of odor. If you put the dish on a plate and put it on the shelf in this form, the rest of the food will be saturated with a specific fishy aroma. Butter, cheese, fruits and eggs are especially susceptible to this effect.
- Protection against microorganisms. No matter how clean the refrigerator may seem, colonies of pathogenic bacteria and mold fungi still live in it. And fatty protein foods are an ideal substrate for their reproduction, so fish stored in open containers becomes hazardous to health much faster.
- Moisture retention. The longer food sits in the refrigerator, the more liquid it evaporates. Consequently, the attractive appearance and taste are lost.
- Preventing foreign objects from entering the product. Insects from poorly washed greens or pieces of other food (for example, cake crumbs) can get into the dishes where the fish is, causing it to become infected or spoil prematurely.
The ideal container for fried fish is vacuum bags, in which it does not dry out even after a long period of storage in the freezer. In addition, in an airless space, the fat oxidation reaction occurs very slowly, so the product does not taste bitter.
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An alternative to such bags can be sealed containers. For freezing, you should choose those that can withstand sub-zero temperatures. But foil, cling film and ordinary plastic bags can only be used for short-term storage in the main chamber of the refrigerator.
Is it possible to freeze
Meat fried in a frying pan can be frozen. As you know, the freezer is used to store most products. After all, it is in it that food is preserved for the longest time. For fried meat, this period is up to 3 months. It is worth remembering that the optimal temperature in the freezer should be -18 ºС.
An important point when freezing is that there should be no air in the packaging. Therefore, try to release the air from the bag, tie it tightly or wrap it in foil. If you have large pieces, you can first wrap each piece in cling film so that they do not freeze together.
After removing prepared food from the freezer, defrost it on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator for several hours before eating. Proper freezing and defrosting of the dish and adherence to the recommended time interval will preserve the taste of the meat.
Be sure to stick a piece of paper on the container indicating the type of meat product and the date of freezing.
Summarize
Fish has a unique set of minerals, vitamins and great taste. But, being a perishable product, if storage rules are not followed, it can cause food poisoning and household problems. Therefore, you need to carefully adhere to the rules of handling it at every stage, from purchase to serving.
It is better to cook so much that there is enough for everyone to eat and there is no leftover for later. Then you can cook again. Don't put your health at risk by eating stale food.
Warm up before use
Fish that has been stored in the refrigerator for less than 12 hours at a temperature of +2 to +6°C can be eaten cold if desired. If it spent longer there, it should be warmed up before use - fry it in oil for at least two minutes or boil it in sauce. The second method is preferable because the taste of the product is better preserved.
Frozen fried fish must be defrosted in the main compartment of the refrigerator and only then reheated. The product should not be re-frozen as this will significantly shorten the shelf life and impair the taste.
It is not recommended to use a microwave for heating: the fish will acquire a “rubbery” consistency.
It is better to keep fish in the refrigerator raw (chilled or frozen), using it for cooking as needed. But if it happens that you fried more pieces than you can eat at once, there is nothing wrong with leaving them for later, observing all storage rules and temperature conditions.
Marking according to GOST
SanPiN 2.3.2.1324-03 dated March 22, 2003 “Hygienic requirements for food storage conditions” contains general information about the shelf life of fish products.
For each subspecies of fish, storage conditions and expiration dates are established by the relevant GOSTs.
In the Russian Federation, there are a number of requirements that determine what should be indicated when labeling fish products. There are mandatory and additional data about fish , which the manufacturer must indicate on the packaging.
Required information in particular includes:
- dates of production, packaging and expiration date;
- the conditions under which it must be stored;
- storage conditions in order to comply with the expiration date after opening the package.
The listed information must be indicated on the factory packaging of fish products or on stickers - in the case of trade in loose fish.
At room temperature
It also happens that you have to keep fried fish on the table for a long time. For example, during feasts. In this case, keep it closed to protect it from dust, insects and pets, and try not to leave the product at room temperature for more than two hours. In hot weather this time becomes even shorter. Next, the processes of reproduction of pathogenic microorganisms begin, and the longer time passes, the more dangerous the product becomes. If possible, refrigerate the fish as soon as possible.
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Signs of a spoiled product and what to do with it
If the fish seems suspicious, refuse to purchase, even if the expiration date has not expired. If doubt arises during storage at home, discard the product. Remember that they are easy to poison.
Signs of the onset of damage may include changes:
- colors;
- consistency;
- smell.
Do you know that…
Some peoples prefer to eat fish “with flavor” and feel good at the same time. This is not our option. The body adapts (produces enzymes) to the lifestyle over the years, and this is fixed at the genetic level. If such a dish is not a traditional food product for you, it is better not to risk it.
Cooling
Before placing the fish in the refrigerator, it is removed from the stove and kept until it reaches room temperature. Then they are transferred to plastic or enamel containers with lids and placed on the bottom shelf. If special containers are not available, you can use a plate well wrapped in cling film or tightly folded aluminum foil.
You cannot store fish in a cast iron frying pan, even if it has been fried there. This metal reacts with foods and accelerates the oxidation of omega-3s.
Freezing
At catering establishments, food is frozen using the shock method, which cannot be done at home. For this reason, fried fish should first be cooled to room temperature, then placed in a regular refrigerator for an hour or two, and only then put in the freezer. This method will ensure uniform freezing of each piece and better preservation of taste.
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It is advisable to freeze fish by placing it in special bags in one layer. After it has completely frozen, in order to save space, it can be folded into a container more tightly.
Do not leave the product in the freezer in an open container or untied bag, as this leads to “frost burn” - a rapid loss of moisture, as a result of which the fish becomes tasteless and unattractive in appearance.
How to tell if a dish has gone bad
There are several signs indicating damage:
- unpleasant rotten smell;
- the appearance of mold;
- coating stickiness;
- decreased elasticity of the pulp.
In such cases, it is strictly not recommended to pretend that nothing happened and serve such food on the table, or feed it to animals. The consequences can be very sad; at best, you can end up with a slight digestive disorder, and at worst, a hospital stay.
If the fish is missing, you need to come to terms with it and draw appropriate conclusions for yourself for the future. The spoiled product should be placed in a strong plastic bag, tied tightly and sent to a waste dump. You should not try to feed this to birds and stray cats, as this can greatly harm them.
