4 Signs to Avoid Buying Fish at the Market: They Might Be Poisonous

Fish is a popular food in Vietnamese cuisine. However, consuming contaminated fish can be more harmful than beneficial.

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Fish is an excellent source of nutrients that provide good protein for the body. Compared to meat, fish is a food rich in protein without much cholesterol. However, if you buy fish without paying attention and eat it contaminated with bacterial toxins, you need to be careful about poisoning, emergency treatment, blood infection, and serious cancer risks.

Therefore, when you see a fish with any of these four characteristics, do not buy it, and do not even touch it:

Fish with cloudy white eyes

The eyes of the fish are the distinguishing feature of fresh and long-dead fish. When a fish has been dead for a long time and is spoiled, its eyes will have a cloudy white appearance. A fresh fish will have slightly swollen and clear eyes, with a visible human shape, and can be used for “mirror reflection”. After a while, the fish’s eyes will gradually turn white.

Even though fish is rich in good protein, when it spoils, the protein breaks down into toxins and produces a lot of bacteria. That’s why the fish’s eyes will become blurred and the eyeballs won’t be clear. During the process of catching and transporting fish, there may be collisions that cause the fish’s eyes to turn red, but in this case, the fish’s eyes will still be bright and bulging. Therefore, the fish’s eyes are the best observation point. If you see all the fish being “smashed” to destroy the eye area, the seller intentionally wants to cover it up from buyers, so you definitely should not buy fish from them and should avoid these stalls.

Fish with scales peeling off

Fish scales adhere tightly, and they only peel off when a scraper is used. So, pay attention that if the fish is not fresh, the seller will make an effort to peel off the scales, using an iron comb to accomplish it. Therefore, when the fish scales peel off, it has been dead for a very long time. At that time, the fish’s back will be slimy and the color will be pale. If you are observant, you may notice more flies than usual and an unpleasant fishy smell in the surrounding area. You certainly should not eat these types of fish, let alone buy them.

Frozen fish with yellow-colored flesh

Frozen fish is unavoidable when you live far from the sea, especially the frozen fish that is transported from distant places or brought from the sea. When buying, pay attention to the fish for any unusual yellow color or unpleasant smell of urea. Avoid buying it in these cases. Especially, many sellers freeze a part of their unsold fish and sell them again the next day. So, do not look at the production date on the packaging; look directly at the fish, as the production date may have been tampered with.

Pressing on the fish and finding the flesh less elastic

When looking at the fish, don’t look at the bloody area that the seller says is fresh blood from the recent gutting, as it may have just been applied. Instead, look at the back, scales, and gently press on the fish to check its elasticity. If it is fresh, when you press your finger, you will feel the flesh being firm and have good elasticity. It will immediately return to its original state with just a gentle press. On the contrary, if the fish is not fresh, the flesh will not be elastic due to the loose protein structure, making it easy to sink in when pressed. These types of fish are very dangerous.

If you see a large fish that has been fully scaled, you should also be suspicious that the seller deliberately scaled it in advance to hide the spoiled fish. At this time, the fish will appear pale, and you should press it to check its elasticity.

When buying fish, pay attention to the following characteristics:

– A fresh and delicious fish will have transparent eyes, intact eyeballs, plumpness, and slight bulging. The best option is to buy a fish that is still alive because sellers usually do not gut many fish at once unless they are nearly suffocating or dead.

– Observe the fish’s gills; they should be pink, tightly closed, and when opened, you can see transparent mucus. The scales of the fish should be shiny and firmly attached to the body.

– Smell the fish; it should have a slightly fishy smell but not too strong. If there is a terrible fishy smell, accompanied by a rotten smell and signs of many flies swarming, it means the fish has been dead for a long time, and bacteria have produced a bad smell.

– Press the fish; if the flesh is fresh, healthy, and has good elasticity, the dent will disappear immediately after pressing. This indicates that the fish is fresh and suitable for purchase.

Fish is good for health, but remember to be cautious when eating and choose carefully to avoid any harm to you and your family.

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