It seems like you can buy just about anything online today, from jewelry to clothing, and even seafood. Buying seafood from an Internet retailer can also offer a number of benefits, including access to food options that might be unavailable in your geographic area, high-quality food for lower prices, and more. Of course, you need to ensure that you’re able to buy fresh seafood online. How do you tell if seafood purchased from an Internet retailer is actually fresh?
Look for a Guarantee
First and foremost, never buy seafood from an online seller if there is no guarantee of freshness. High-quality, reputable retailers should provide you with a guarantee of freshness, and explain how they go about preserving that freshness for their customers. If you cannot find such a guarantee in writing on the seller’s site, go elsewhere.
Check the Company’s Location
A seafood retailer should be located in a coastal area if they’re selling fresh fish and shellfish. Double check the company’s geographic location. If they’re located in a landlocked area, then you should probably think twice about buying from them. For instance, a retailer in San Francisco would be a good option, but one located in Montana is probably not selling the freshest seafood possible.
The Smell
If you have received the seafood you purchased already and are not sure that it’s fresh, you should follow your nose. Whether you’ve ordered shellfish or fish, the smell should be similar. It should be an “ocean-like” smell. It might be pungent, but it should never be sour, bitter, boggy or rotten. If it does not smell ocean fresh, the chances are good that it isn’t fresh at all.
The Color
It can be difficult to gauge the freshness of seafood by color, because of the possibility of dyes used to mask aging food. Most fish should be white or slightly pink-white, but never red, yellow or brown. Tuna and other fatty fish should have flesh that looks wet when thawed, and tuna should actually be a deep red color. Brown spots around the edges are a sign of fish that is not fresh. If the tuna is hot pink rather than red, this is an indication that it has been dyed. Salmon should be orange or orange-red.
These are just a few of the things you should check to ensure that you are able to buy fresh seafood online. Working with the right retailer is key – make sure the company has a reputation for high-quality, fresh seafood, and provides a guarantee of satisfaction.