It's hard to find someone who doesn't like smoked or salted fish. Such an aroma emanates from her that it is simply impossible to refrain from buying. But do not rush to this. Under the guise of a tasty product, they often sell fish not smoked, but tinted with chemicals.
And such an "honest" business is very profitable, because smoked fish is several times more expensive than fresh.
Why is it worth buying a smoked product with caution?
Smoking any product takes about 5 days - on the first day the product is thawed, then salted for at least three days, then smoked for at least another day. For this, natural smoke from burning sawdust is used, which has undergone special treatment.
But many manufacturers often violate the technology in order to save their money: first, they soak the fish in a saline solution, then process it in liquid smoke - a special chemical composition. As a result, the procedure is reduced from 5 days to half an hour.
Outwardly, the fish resembles smoked: it has an attractive golden color, pleasant aroma. In fact, liquid smoke, which in many European countries is banned as a strong carcinogen, does not preserve, but colors and aromatizes fish.
Moreover, it is not uncommon for spoiled fish to be sent for such processing (which of the sellers will throw expensive product, even if it is rotten?), as a result, it becomes as appetizing as real.
Therefore, it is so important to determine which product is in front of you - this will help avoid serious health problems.
How not to buy "chemistry"?
In order not to purchase a rotten and dangerous product, you need to pay attention to the following factors:
- Woody scent. Be sure to smell the fish. If you feel a strong chemical smell, you should refuse to buy. Natural smoked fish emanates a pleasant aroma of smoking and wood smoke. But you should also not buy a product that does not smell at all - this may indicate that the fish is stale and the aroma has simply disappeared.
- Golden color. Quality smoked fish has a beautiful golden hue. If you notice light streaks on the sides, this indicates a violation of the cooking technology. For example, too much fish was loaded into the smokehouse, which prevented it from getting smoked on all sides. As a result, such a product may contain infectious agents or parasites. In addition, if you see a fish that is bright orange and white streaks are visible when cut, this indicates that the product has been treated with "liquid smoke".
- Fashionable "cage". Often on sale you can see fish with a depressed imprint in the form of a large or small cell. This indicates that the fish was actually smoked on the vine, a natural hot method. The cells can be large, small, but they are always present on hot smoked fish. In addition, a natural product can be identified by the presence of a hole in the tail - it is in this place that a rope is passed, on which the fish is suspended from the crossbar.
- Dry and smooth to touch. A real smoked product must be dry and smooth. But the fake is usually wet and damp; smudges can be seen on the surface of the fish. You can also do a simple check: wrap the product in a paper napkin - if brown prints appear on it, then a “liquid house” was used for smoking. In addition, if the surface of the fish is rough, it is also likely to have been chemically treated. Pay attention to scratches, spots and cuts on the skin - this indicates that the product smoked improperly or the fish was stored longer than the prescribed period, which made its skin light get damaged.
As you can see, you should be careful before buying smoked fish - in stores you can easily find a fake that is dangerous to health.
More interesting articles:
Caution: French fries and chips are hazardous to health
10 dangerous foods for tooth enamel
TOP 10 foods that will harm you if you use them incorrectly
Like, comment, share in social networks,subscribe to our channelis the best reward for us!
Good health and culinary inspiration :)
Your friend and helper, Vilkin!