How and where to store an octopus correctly?

Keeping an octopus involves a lot of nuances. This seafood does not have a long shelf life when fresh. There are several ways to store seafood, but not every method can be called effective.

The nuances of storing an octopus:

• fresh octopus (provided that it was not purchased frozen) should be stored in a container with a lid and only in the refrigerator;
• at room temperature, octopuses in any form (sliced ​​or whole octopus) should not be stored in any case;
• octopuses can be frozen (repeated freezing is not allowed);
• before freezing, it is recommended to boil and cool the octopus (in this form, the seafood will better retain its taste and meat structure);
• it is recommended to freeze the octopus in containers (it is better not to use plastic bags or cling film);
• if you freeze an octopus raw, then after defrosting its meat may become too tough and lose a significant part of its taste;
• for any storage method, the octopus must be placed in containers (seafood quickly absorbs foreign odors, which leads to a violation of its taste characteristics);
• if the octopus is bought in a package, then it must be opened before cooking;
• if the octopus is purchased frozen, then after purchase it must be placed in the freezer as soon as possible or thawed and eaten;
• pickled octopus in containers should also be stored only in the refrigerator (if the marinade begins to become cloudy, then it is better to refuse to eat such seafood);
• if the octopus acquired foreign odors during storage, then its use should be abandoned (if an unpleasant smell is combined with the appearance of spots or mucus on the surface of the skin, then the seafood is absolutely spoiled);
• fresh octopus in the refrigerator should be placed in the coolest zones (if it is not possible to put seafood in a container, then you can use a plastic bag or foil);
• using salted water or marinades while storing the octopus will not extend its shelf life;
• Octopus meat contains trace amounts of mercury, so eating spoiled seafood can seriously harm your health and digestion.

Octopuses are most commonly sold frozen or cooked. Maintaining the freshness of this seafood is quite difficult, so when buying a fresh octopus there is a high risk of purchasing a low-quality product. Visually, the octopus should look flawless in the literal sense. Only in this case it will be possible to store it in the refrigerator for some time. If there are any signs of spoilage, seafood should not be stored and eaten.

How much and at what temperature to store an octopus

Octopus belongs to the category of seafood that can spoil quickly even when frozen. That is why it is recommended to boil it even before freezing it. In its raw form, the octopus will only retain freshness for three days, provided it is stored in the refrigerator and vacuum packed.

Cooked octopus can also be stored for 2-3 days in the refrigerator. If during this time the seafood has not been eaten, then it is better to freeze it. An exception is the situation when the octopus becomes an ingredient for dishes. In such cases, after three days of storage, the food will be spoiled and unusable.

In frozen form, octopus can be stored for no longer than 2 months.… In this case, temperature drops must be completely excluded. After 60 days, octopus meat will begin to change its structure, so it should be eaten as early as possible.

If the octopus was purchased in a container and pickled, then you can store it for the period indicated on the label. After opening the package, the product must be eaten no later than 2 days later. Store the opened container only in the refrigerator.