EFET draws attention to consumers regarding what they should pay attention to in food during Lent.
As noted food selection, transport and storage at home, especially those that need to be cooled as soon as possible (such as catch, which is by nature perishable), careful handling of their preparation are important practices for our safety and to avoid negative health effects.
In general, consumers should always keep in mind how important it is to consult the indications on the package. If there is an allergy, great attention should be paid to the indication of allergenic ingredients, which must be listed. Frozen catch must always bear the identification mark of the facility where the product was frozen. Defrosted products have a clear statement of their defrosted state on the packaging label or on the signs of bulk products (bulk food).
EFET’s advice
To store food at home, we follow the manufacturer’s instructions. We store the catch safely and more specifically, in the preservation of the refrigerator if it is to be consumed within two days of its purchase.
If they are to be consumed in a period longer than two days, it is recommended to store them in the freezer following placing them in food bags. We keep raw shellfish away from fresh fruits, vegetables and other foods eaten raw or ready to eat to avoid cross contamination.
During food handling, we keep household utensils clean and use separate equipment such as knives and cutting boards for seafood, raw meat and poultry so that they do not come into contact with other food.
We cook well, always according to the supplier’s instructions, to avoid viruses such as noroviruses, which can cause outbreaks of gastroenteritis.
Especially for the selection of foods consumed during Lent, here are some useful tips.
Cephalopods (e.g. octopuses, squids, cuttlefish, cuttlefish)
They are available for purchase, either fresh, frozen or thawed.
When fresh, we pay attention to:
– Not to have an unpleasant smell, ammonia smell or any other smell, foreign to the product, but to give off the characteristic smell of the sea.
-The surface of the body should be moist and shiny, while the tentacles and suction cups should withstand light pulling and not detach easily.
– The flesh should be solid, elastic and shiny while the eyes should be shiny, lively without spots.
– The flesh should be solid, elastic and shiny while the eyes should be shiny, lively without spots.
Also, bearing in mind that the value of the squid is more than twice that of the thrapsal, it is good to keep in mind the differences in characteristics between squids and thrapsal and to be able to tell them apart, to avoid any possible confusion.
Squids and squids have a characteristic morphological difference in the shape of their fin. Squids have a diamond-shaped fin that runs the length of their body, while the fin in thrapsals is triangular in shape and more flattened. When the two species are exposed fresh on ice it is easy to tell them apart, because the squids have ten tentacles of similar length, while the squids have two characteristic tentacles longer than the remaining eight.
Frozen (packaged or bulk) cephalopods should not be sold with an altered color, while they are usually covered by a layer of ice. After thawing, the contents should have the color and smell of the fresh product.
Thawed catches, when sold, must have a clear statement of their thawed state, on the indicative sales sign, in addition to the indications on their packaging.
Crustaceans (eg mussels, quinces, shiners, oysters, clams, scallops)
Since they are sold fresh in shell they must be alive and this is easily seen if the following apply:
-The shell is closed and very difficult to open or if it is partially open with the least pressure on the shell it closes tightly by itself.
-Contents are liquid, clean and odorless.
-The flesh is moist, firmly attached to the shell (prick with a pin or a few drops of lemon causes contraction of the body).
For shelled mussels sold on ice, we check that their flesh is shiny, cohesive and smells of the sea. #Mussels are also sold frozen in or out of shell.
Shellfish (eg shrimp, crayfish, lobster, crab)
We find them on the market either fresh, frozen or thawed.
Regarding fresh, we check that:
-They do not have an unpleasant smell, but they give off the characteristic smell of the sea.
-Their legs are firmly attached to the body and hard.
-The membrane of the chest is stretched, durable and transparent.
-The head and chest are light colored, not black in color and should not have black spots.
-Have reflex movements in the eyes, antennae and legs when alive.
In general, be aware that fresh shrimp slip easily from the hand.
Sea urchins
Sea urchins must be alive at the time of purchase, which is easily distinguished by the movement of their spines.
When choosing canned fish that is stored in the refrigerator or outside the refrigerator, make sure that it is intact and sealed, without dents or bulges.
Other Lenten dishes
Other popular Lenten dishes are halva (special attention to allergens), pickles and taramas. #Taramas is found in the form of a paste and must have a uniform color. Possible spoilage in tarama is identified by the appearance of mold, dryness, rancidity, bitter or sour taste.
#EFET #Advice #Lent #buying #food #preserve
