by Tierney O'Hara

Created on: August 01, 2009   Last Updated: November 06, 2011

How to pick out the best seafood in the supermarket

Not all supermarkets are created equal.Some discount supermarkets have low prices but also low-quality seafood. Some supermarkets are off the beaten path and are barely getting by due to lack of customers, so they attempt to "freshen up" produce or fish with water sprays and ice chips.Some stores even resort to squeezing lemon juice over the fish to disguise the tell-tale smell of fish going bad. S be careful where you buy your seafood.

However, if you shop at a clean, well stocked supermarket in a busy area where customers come and go all day, and food never lingers on the shelves, you might just find some of the tastiest seafood money can buy.

Most large chain supermarkets buy fish and seafood in huge quantities and arrange to have the fish "flash frozen" right on the fishing vessel. Instant freeze stops any destruction of the fish due to air or bacteria, and super-cooled seafood stays the freshest for the longest period of time.

The packaging on your seafood should carry a label stating the item was flash frozen, if not ask the seafood manager who can give you more information about the item you are interested in buying. He or she should also know where the seafood came from. China, for example, has a bad reputation for its fish farms so buying Tilapia from China would not be a wise purchase.

While you're talking to the seafood manager, ask him if there are any frozen fish in the back room. On sale weeks, fish are defrosted on ice beds to encourage people to buy it from the case, thinking it is fresh fish or at least ready for cooking immediately. If you are buying fish or other seafood to store in the freezer, buy it frozen if you can.

Many local grocery stores have  frequent specials on extra large shrimp. In the seafood case, you can see a pile of thawed shrimp, but in the back are bags of flash frozen shrimp you can buy at the sale price. The flavor, color and texture of super-cooled shrimp remains amazing after defrosting, and you can be sure no spoilage has occurred.

The grocery store is also good place to buy smoked and canned fish. Most smoked fish are delicious and much easier than smoking your own.

If you want to buy canned tuna fish, go for the tuna packed in oil rather than water. The water-logged, water-packed tuna is so tasteless, manufacturers have taken to adding in soy and vegetable protein in order to put some flavor back into the canned tuna.

Buying seafood at the supermarket is not verboten, but do choose frozen fish as a first choice. If you must buy "fresh" - scrutinize, sniff, and touch your seafood until you are satisfied it's very fresh with no signs of spoilage like odd color, an off odor, looking dry or sitting in fish blood.

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