Fish and anisakis, conservation and how to cook

We must take into account a few aspects to get the most out of it and consume fish properly to avoid problems with the anisakis.

Choose the fish well

we are going to acquire it is important to take into account several factors, such as who is going to consume it, if we are going to take it the same day or the next day or are we going to freeze it, how we are going to cook it, etc.

Who is going to consume it?

This is an important point to consider, since for example the great ones such as emperor or swordfish, dogfish or bluefin tuna are fish that are not advisable for pregnant or lactating women, or for children under three years of age. In addition, smaller ones it is preferable to acquire fillets, to be able to be clean, to avoid problems with the bones, unless we can clean it ourselves or be very attentive while they eat.

When and how are we going to consume it?

If we want to consume the fish that we have just purchased today or in the next few hours, we must bear in mind that it must be fully cooked (the center must reach 60ºC for at least one minute), otherwise we would be at risk of suffering problems due to anisakis. On the other hand, if we want to consume it raw or undercooked, it is not safe to buy it fresh and consume it, but it is essential to freeze it, and in this case, we must keep it frozen for 24 hours at -20ºC to ensure that freezing kills the anisakis.

How are we going to cook it?

Also the way in which we are going to cook it will be decisive in choosing which parts or cuts of fish we buy. For example, if we buy whole fish they can go very well to bake with a potato and vegetable base or in papillote, if we want to grill it we can choose medallions, or if we are going to flour and fry it, we can choose a small fish or clean steaks. All of these are simply examples to make us reflect on what recipe we are going to make with the fish, to acquire the specimens or parts that will give us the best result.

Preserve the fish well

We will have different preservation options, depending on how we have acquired the fish. We must bear in mind that fish is a product that easily spoils unless it is frozen.

If we choose it frozen ...

We can choose to acquire fish already frozen. In this case, we must bear in mind that products subjected to deep freezing maintain their organoleptic properties very well, that is, texture, flavor, aroma ... Deep freezing is precisely based on a very rapid drop in temperature, to quickly reach the crystallization temperature. . This makes these products a better option, both at the safety level and at the organoleptic level. On the other hand, with freezing we consider that the nutritional losses are negligible.

• If we freeze it at home ... If we freeze it at home, the slower cooling can cause the formation of larger water crystals that affect the texture. For this reason, it is advisable that if we choose this option, we avoid opening the freezer too much during the process of freezing products, especially sensitive products such as fish.
• If we defrost ... Once we are going to consume the fish that we had frozen, we must anticipate and leave it the day before in the refrigerator. We will defrost it in a container with a grid so that it does not get "bathed" in the water or juice that it may release. In addition, we must ensure that we place it in a place where it cannot contaminate other products in the refrigerator if it should leak. If we have not had enough foresight and we need to defrost it at a higher speed we can do it using cold water, but we will not pour it directly on the fish, but we will protect it by putting it in a plastic bag.
• If we opt for fresh fish ... If instead of consuming frozen fish, we choose to consume fresh fish, we must always keep it in the refrigerator, and ideally, no more than 24 hours. Fish is a food rich in water, with many nutrients and a fairly neutral pH that favors microbial development, so it will easily deteriorate if we do not consume it quickly. Just like when we talked about defrosting in the fridge. It is positive that the fish is in a container with a grid, but, above all, that it cannot spill juice on other foods.

AVOID ANISAKIS To avoid having problems due to anisakis, it is necessary to cook the fish sufficiently, at least one minute at 60ºC in the center of the product, or to freeze it, in this case we must keep it at -20ºC for 24 hours or at -35ºC for 15 hours.

• Cook good. The ideal could be to think about how we are going to prepare the fish and based on that, choose the best type and part of the fish, but we can also do the reverse.

Lets go cook… We will take into account what type of fish we have purchased to get the most out of it. Some fish are fantastic in the oven, such as sea bream and sea bass, but others can be very juicy and appetizing in a stew, such as monkfish and cod, and others are good to grill like turbot and hake. Although, as you already know, many can be made in multiple ways, making them very good, both in one way and another.

Appropriate temperature and time ... Once we know how we are going to cook the fish, we must take into account the form of preparation. For example, in grilled and / or grill elaborations, we must know that the contact of the piece with the hot plate causes the meat to modify its texture, forming that firmer and crunchier layer. If in this process we exceed the temperature, or we want to turn the piece ahead of time, we will leave half a piece stuck to the pan.

And the skin ... While it is true that the fatty deposits that are attached to the skin may have a higher concentration of contaminants, it is also true that the skin contributes to creating that solid crust that helps retain all the juices and aromas inside the fish, so that most of the time it will be better to keep it during cooking, to obtain tastier and juicier preparations.

• If we want to consume the fish that we have just acquired today or in the next few hours, it must be cooked completely (the center must reach 60ºC for at least one minute), to avoid problems with the anisakis.
• And if we want it raw or undercooked, it is not safe to buy it fresh and consume it, but it is essential to freeze it (at least 24 hours at -20ºC) to ensure that we end up with the anisakis.
• Frozen fish are a good option, both in terms of safety and organoleptic properties. Furthermore, the nutritional losses are negligible.

Mercè Gonzalo Bachelor of Food Science and Technology Diploma in Human Nutrition and Dietetics Advance Medical Consultant Nutritionist