In summer ask fishmonger for bag of ice cream

Protection against germs: transport fish in summer in bag with ice

09/08/2014

Especially at high summer temperatures food can spoil quickly. In order to reduce health risks, the cold chain should always be observed during transport. To carry fresh fish in the summer in a bag with ice cream home.

Cold chain should always be adhered to
Since food can quickly spoil at high summer temperatures, the cold chain should always be observed during transport. Especially fresh fish like it cool, at least from purchase to preparation. Sandra Kess from the fish information center in Hamburg therefore advises, according to a message from the news agency dpa, to ask the fishmonger for a bag of ice cream to transport the shopping in it. Every dealer would like to follow suit. The fish does not spoil on the way home. On the other hand, if consumers have a cooler with a well-frozen cooling element, depending on the outside temperature, they could well travel for two to three hours. „I do not see a problem there“, so Kess.

Health risks due to incorrect storage
If fish is stored too warm or otherwise incorrectly, it threatens health risks. Among other things, there is the risk of fish poisoning, which may be accompanied by symptoms such as numbness of the lips and oral mucosa, a weakened general condition, diarrhea, fever, dizziness, abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting. In the course of this special type of food poisoning, it can also cause an itchy rash on the hands and feet.

In freshwater fish danger rather low
According to Kess, it is harmless to eat the fish only half cooked if the cold chain has been maintained in one way or another. Experts speak of this „glassy“. Kess explained: „This is generally done with fish so it does not get bone-dry.“ In freshwater fish such as pike perch, the danger is anyway low that it contains harmful parasites. On the other hand, it is better for some fresh saltwater fish, either to deep-freeze or durchzugaren before consumption, in order to kill possibly existing parasites.

Fresh freshwater fish smells like nothing
Whether raw fish is still edible, „then you smell that already“, so Kess. Fresh sea fish have a pleasantly fine scent of the sea, while fresh freshwater fish tend to smell like nothing. The bad smell of spoiled fish is due to ammonia-like substances that are formed when bacteria spread in the fish and decompose it. This can happen if it was stored incorrectly or for too long. (Ad)