1. Research a reputable vendor that’s FDA certified and HACCP (Hazardous Critical Control Point) certified. Local supermarkets like Whole Foods and Wegman’s are great examples.
2. Take advantage of price bidding — search for two to three different vendors that are in your area and compare prices.
3. Check for freshness — fresh fish should have no fishy odor. Check the eyes (if purchasing the whole fish) for brightness. They shouldn’t be cloudy or have a film over them. Also, if the gills are in tact, they should be bright red in color and not slimy.
4. Fish before cooking should be firm to the touch. If you push your finger into the flesh, the meat should bounce back and not make an imprint. This could be an indication that the fish is older.
5. Buy fish with the skin on. This way you can identify the species by its particular skin color or markings, so you’ll know what you are getting.
6. Choose fish that appeals to you. There are many sustainable varieties on the market; ask your vendor for information on how they are caught, what they are fed and how they are processed afterwards.
7. Fish being served in restaurants should be fresh with no odor. If you walk into a restaurant and smell a fishy odor, that’s a good indication that they may not be serving the freshest product. Most restaurants get deliveries six days a week. This allows the establishment to buy what they need according to their business trends. It also keeps a very perishable product as fresh as possible to serve our guests.
