Читать книгу Clinical Guide to Fish Medicine - Группа авторов - Страница 165

Given the perishable nature of seafood, food‐handling is crucial. Thawing should always be done in air under refrigeration at <4°C (39°F), never at room temperature. If rapid thawing is required, food items may be thawed in a sealed and closed container under cold running water. Incorrect thawing may result in nutrient losses, fat rancidity, microbial buildup, and loss of palatability (Crissey 1998; Henry et al. 2010).

Food should be inspected during preparation. Fresh and fresh‐thawed fish should have bright red gills, clear corneas (often with lens opacities), and firm elastic flesh with no breaks in the skin. Old or thawed and refrozen fish are dull in appearance, have opaque corneas, red‐bordered eyes, and soft flesh that leaves finger impressions and tears readily; these should not be fed (Crissey 1998; Henry et al. 2010).

All thawed seafood should be kept iced or refrigerated until feeding and should be used within 24 hours. Thawed food should never be refrozen. Periodic nutrient testing for quality control (see below) is encouraged, especially for fish that are high in fat.