How to choose the right salmon?

When buying a salmon, it is important not only to determine its freshness, but also to take into account the fact that some unscrupulous sellers can pass off other representatives of salmon breeds for this type of fish, which are significantly inferior in cost. A distinctive feature of salmon is its size, so a fillet or whole fish will immediately differ in weight.

Salmon can be sold in the following types:

• whole fish (fresh, chilled or frozen, with or without head, cut and not cut);
• fillet (chilled or frozen).

If the salmon is sold whole, then you should pay attention to its head. This fish species is characterized by the most pointed front part of the head. The fins of the salmon are long and thin, and the scales are large. Black dots, like trout, do not have salmon on the surface.

How to choose a salmon

If in the process of buying salmon fillets there is a choice, then preference should be given to lighter options. The meat of this type of fish has an orange tint, but it should not be too bright. The rich color of the fillets can be a sign of the use of dyes by vendors or manufacturers themselves.

What salmon is recommended to buy:

• the color of the salmon fillet can be rich or pale, but such a nuance does not affect the quality of the fish (the reason for the change in the color of the fillet may be the habitat factors or the feeding characteristics of the fish);
• chilled fish should be stored no longer than 14 days (when buying such salmon, it is important to pay attention to the date of its production and not buy fish with double price tags);
• regardless of the type of salmon (fillet or whole fish), its surface should be elastic and not deform when pressed with a finger (applies to chilled and fresh fish);
• if the fish is bought fresh and not cut, then its eyes should be transparent and clean, and the tail should be wet;
• salmon should be slightly moist, but not distinguished by an unnatural shine (if the fish is too shiny, then it was treated with chemical compounds to extend the shelf life);
• the scales of a good salmon should be slightly moist, the eyes should not be sunken, and there should be no mucus on the surface;
• veins on salmon fillets should be white (any other shades indicate the use of dyes);
• packaging of salmon should not have any damage or tears;
• the smell of salmon is not “fishy”, but rather “sea”.

What kind of salmon is not worth buying:

• if there are yellow spots on the scales or fillets of salmon, then this is a sign of oxidation (the fish is spoiled and cannot be eaten);
• dry scales or tail are signs of improper transportation or unfair storage of salmon;
• if there is a significant amount of snow or ice in the package with salmon fillets, then the fish was repeatedly frozen and re-thawed (maybe thawing occurred during improper transportation);
• cloudy eyes and darkened gills can be found only in fish that starts to deteriorate or is too long and improperly stored;
• mucus on the scales and a pungent smell from salmon should be the reason for refusing to buy it (such a fish is spoiled);
• you should not buy salmon in damaged packages;
• if the edges of the fillet are not even, but as if blurred, then the fish was soaked in special formulations to preserve the presentation or in order to hide the first signs of spoilage;
• you cannot buy salmon with damaged scales or skin (bacteria in the damaged areas begin to multiply very quickly, and eating such fish can be harmful to health).

It is believed that the most delicious and high-quality salmon is fish imported from Norway. The information about the producer is always indicated on the packages, so it is not difficult to find out the place of the catch.