When Did Thawed-Out Previously Frozen Fish Become A Thing At Supermarket Seafood Departments?
I bought some cod today for a dinner for the wife and while it came out pretty damn good, I noticed that it was labeled "previously frozen" in the case at the supermarket seafood counter I got it from. Almost all the fish there appeared to have been frozen but was thawed and being sold as "fresh"! When did this become a thing? I worked in a meat/seafood department at a large local supermarket chain 25 years ago when in high school and I clearly remember everything that went in that display case came in fresh, never frozen. Did something change between then and now?This message has been edited. Last edited by: PASig,
May 14, 2017, 08:52 PM
JohnV
Ran 2 grocery stories both grossing $1m/week and the whole time I ran them the seafood came in frozen. So I have no idea, but it sure seems fishy.
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May 14, 2017, 09:03 PM
sjtill
Don't fishing boats flash-freeze the fish on the boat?
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May 14, 2017, 09:04 PM
JALLEN
Might it have something to do with where the store is?
Fresh seafood is no big deal in San Diego. It's probably a lot harder to get here in the Texas hill country.
It may be, too, that labeling wasn't as scrupulously adhered to back in the day.
We special order sole and calamari fillets from our supermarket. The calamari comes frozen. The sole is supposedly fresh. It seems so.
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May 14, 2017, 09:05 PM
Neel
Whenever I purchase fish from the market if it's in the case, I ask the person to put it on a piece of deli paper and let me have a whiff.
I'll get a strange look upon occasion, but I've never purchased a bad piece of fish.
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May 14, 2017, 09:13 PM
2tonicP220
Some Salmon is frozen twice. When caught and partially processed, shipped to China, thawed and finish processed, than frozen for shipment.
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May 15, 2017, 03:11 AM
LS1 GTO
quote:
Originally posted by sjtill: Don't fishing boats flash-freeze the fish on the boat?
Pretty sure if has to do with this. Not sure how long it takes for the fish to be solidified by the process but I do recall hearing it is so fast it prevents the organisms cells from being punctuated by ice crystals thereby turning it to mush.
Birdseye was the first to use this process.
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May 15, 2017, 04:50 AM
Skins2881
I'm more worried about wild caught than frozen. You can flash freeze a good piece of fish, and it's still a good piece of fish. No matter how fresh a farm raised fish is, it's still crappy.
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May 15, 2017, 04:51 AM
OttoSig
Unless you're buying it off the boat on a coastal area it's all previously frozen, they are simply telling you. How in the he'll does one expect fresh fish from the Atlantic in Kansas or such? He'll even a place like Texas is a haul, you don't want fish that hasn't been flash frozen after 24 hours!
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May 15, 2017, 05:08 AM
stoic-one
Very common practice, it also allows distribution chains and stores to better manage delivery and inventory.
If you want "fresh" or unfrozen, look for tags like "fresh from _insert nearest large body of water_", in my case it's the gulf. Even then, unless it's a live variety(crabs and such) it may have still been frozen
Probably 70%+ of seafood sold in the US was previously frozen.
Around here it's not just seafood, lots of different meats have the same disclaimer.
May 15, 2017, 07:34 AM
Mars_Attacks
Maybe Unfrozen cave man lawyer could look into it.
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May 15, 2017, 07:47 AM
RHINOWSO
(1) How close do you live to the fishing fleet or hatchery?
(2) If (1) is not "close", but "far", you get frozen fish. It works for your frozen pizza, your frozen "Lean Cuisine" for lunch @InoTech, and your Ben & Jerry's, so it's fine for your fish too.
May 15, 2017, 07:51 AM
barndg00
I don't mind that they freeze it, I would prefer they simply left it frozen once it has been. I'd rather it not sit thawed in the case for a couple days before I buy it, I'll thaw it at home thank you.
May 15, 2017, 08:13 AM
stoic-one
quote:
Originally posted by barndg00: I don't mind that they freeze it, I would prefer they simply left it frozen once it has been. I'd rather it not sit thawed in the case for a couple days before I buy it, I'll thaw it at home thank you.
To that point, I've actually asked for still packaged, and as a result still frozen and vacuum packaged, and had them go to the freezer and get them for me(tuna steaks in this case).
That way you can "know" when it was defrosted...
They are trying to create an illusion that you are buying fresh and never frozen when you're really not.
Originally posted by barndg00: I don't mind that they freeze it, I would prefer they simply left it frozen once it has been. I'd rather it not sit thawed in the case for a couple days before I buy it, I'll thaw it at home thank you.
To that point, I've actually asked for still packaged, and as a result still frozen and vacuum packaged, and had them go to the freezer and get them for me(tuna steaks in this case).
That way you can "know" when it was defrosted...
They are trying to create an illusion that you are buying fresh and never frozen when you're really not.
This is exactly what I do. Unless I need it that moment, then I get from the display. Luckily I am friendly with the lady that runs my Safeway fish counter and she tells me exactly how long it's been in case or I ask for the ones that are visibly partially frozen.
It pays to be friendly with meat/seafood counter employees.
Jesse
Sic Semper Tyrannis
May 15, 2017, 08:33 AM
snwghst
It's known as I.Q.F
Once seafood is caught USDA will allow it to be referred to as fresh if it's frozen to sub-zero temps within a certain time. Typically it also has to be labeled "once frozen"
Shrimpers around me will go out for a week or longer at a time. It's the only way to prevent it from spoiling
In LA a retailer is required to label it IQF or when asked if it is openly state
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May 15, 2017, 08:37 AM
stoic-one
It really is all about pricing more than anything else.
Take a look at the selection available at your typical supermarket. Consumers would scoff if they were forced to pay what it takes to get all of those types of seafood shipped directly to each store unfrozen, most all of the prices would increase by an order of magnitude. Not to mention how precise their inventory management would have to be to reduce spoilage, also to keep the cost down.
If you didn't get it off the boat / docks, it's surely frozen no matter what the sign says.
May 15, 2017, 08:41 AM
stoic-one
quote:
Originally posted by 46and2: If you didn't get it off the boat / docks, it's surely frozen no matter what the sign says.
While that's true, I believe that grocers are required to tell you what you're buying if asked... Where I live, there are certain things I can buy which I know were never frozen, depending who I buy from.
