Goodfish
'Supporting sustainable inshore day fisheries to help conserve the coastal environment, plus more!'
Frozen Fish
Introduction
Frozen fish can almost be as good as buying fresh fish. If fishermen are able to quick-freeze seafood very soon after it’s caught it can make it fresher and easier to transport. It is best to thaw this fish in the fridge, usually taking 6 to 8 hours with a wet towel underneath.
The following is from a BBC page on the web;
"Though it's often considered second-rate, frozen fish is worth considering, particularly if the fish is cleaned and frozen straightaway. Commercial freezers freeze fish quickly, so there's little damage done to the fish's flesh. If stored and then defrosted carefully, it can be difficult to tell the difference between properly frozen fish and fresh"
About frozen fish products
Fish that is frozen and vacuum-sealed are protected from freezer burn or dehydration. If properly stored in a freezer at the right temperature, it can remain stored for up to 9 months, although most people recommend only storing for three months. The sooner after capture that fish is frozen, the better the quality, locking in freshness, nutrients and flavour.
Freezing too fast or too slowly can reduce the quality of the products with the best temperature at -40ºc and a -23ºc core temperature in less than 5 hours. If you take two pieces of fish and clank them together after freezing, they should sound like striking two pieces of glass together.
Flash or blast freezing at these temperatures ensures that ice crystals formed in the flesh are very small, which reduces water absorption and damage to the fish cells. When water freezes it expands and this is what often causes the damage, so the more quickly the crystals are formed, the smaller they are and the better the fish texture quality.
When freezing at home, it can take a long time to reduce the fish to the required temperature and the results are that large ice crystals damage the flesh structure and when the fish is defrosted and cooked it can feel waterlogged and tasteless.
Frozen Freshness
Some suggest that frozen fish products are fresher than any of the other food alternatives on the market. This is because when the fish are caught, they are actually frozen on the ship itself within hours of catch using frozen plate freezers. Freezing is a natural process that doesn't need any preservatives so the products reach the consumers, clean, fresh, healthy and tasty.
Best way to defrost fish
Vacuum-sealed fish products in a plastic bag, should be placed in a sink with cold running water until thawed. If it is wrapped in plastic or just raw, put it on a plate in the refrigerator, cover with cling film the night before you want to cook it, and let it thaw. Avoid water coming into direct contact with a raw product since this will wash away the colour and flavour.
Environmental information
UK consumers waste about one third of the food they buy. WRAP states that “if people stopped wasting food which could have been eaten, it would have the same impact on carbon emissions as taking 1 in 5 cars off UK roads”
It is best to keep your freezer as far away from the cooker / fridge as possible so it runs at optimal efficiency, since keeping it closed reduces energy usage. It is even better to have a separate chest freezer in a separate room or garage. Running a freezer can cost as little as £20 per year!
By buying frozen food with its longer shelf life you can make fewer trips to the shops by car. Doing so reduces your individual carbon footprint. And, due to its longer shelf life, frozen food can result in less wastage in the delivery and storage chain.
Some though say that a freezer full of meals is actually more energy-intensive — it costs more to freeze foods, ship them cold, display them frozen in the grocery store and keep them frozen in our homes.
Fresh verses frozen
"Answering the fresh or frozen question partially depends on your proximity to fresh fish. If you don’t live particularly close to coastal waters, then you might consider opting for frozen fish. There is increasing credence given to the notion of buying fish that has been flash frozen at sea (FAS). Frozen-at-sea fish is caught, filleted, and then frozen within hours of being caught. Experts point out that frozen fish can be transported via container ship or rail, whereas fresh fish, if it has far to go, is typically transported by airplane, the transportation method with the largest carbon footprint. The good news is that flash frozen fish have been shown to retain all of the nutrients, such as omega-3’s, of their fresh cousins." (From a search on the internet)
What about ‘Coast Friendly’ Fish
More debate and evidence is needed before any specific conclusions can be made, but what is clear is that ‘Coast Friendly’ fish will have a far lower carbon footprint as is will be local. A question for discussion is how flash freezing ‘Coast Friendly’ fish might help with providing local fish outside its usual season and what carbon footprint is associated with that procedure.
Also, can the fish and chips shops locally, use frozen local fish rather than importing the fish from probably much less sustainable sources. If used locally this could provide a more direct market for local fishermen.
Watch this space below for more evidence and debate!
Freezing Coast Friendly Fish
Coming soon, a discussion by fishmongers in the scheme
If your business uses locally caught fish, from small boats that do not beam, pair or otter trawl, then the 'Coast Friendly' Initiative may be for you! Click here to find out about the trial that you could be part of.
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