How to tell a fresh fish at a glance
Eyes, gills and the press of a finger tell you more than any label.
Formalin and other worries about fish
What chemical preservatives are, how buyers watch for them, and what you can check at home before you cook.
Every few months, news reports about formalin in fish make Kochi families nervous, and the questions come to our counter. It is a fair worry, so here is a plain explanation of what it is, and what we do and do not do.
Formalin is a chemical solution sometimes misused to make fish look fresh for longer when it has been transported over long distances without enough ice. It is more likely to turn up in fish that travels for days from other states than in fish landed that morning at a nearby harbour.
Our approach is to avoid the situations where it is used. Joseph buys only at the Kalamukku and Thoppumpady auctions, from boats he can see landing. We do not buy fish brought in by road from distant markets, and we sell everything the same day on ice. Once a week, he also checks samples from each boat with the paper test strips sold for this purpose. These strips are a rough screen, not a laboratory test, and we say that plainly.
At home, a few signs help. Fish that has been treated often feels unusually stiff and rubbery, its gills may look pale or bleached, it may have little or no fishy smell, and flies tend to avoid it. Fresh fish smells of the sea, has red gills and slightly springy flesh. If anything you buy from us looks or smells wrong, send a photo within two hours of delivery and we will replace it or refund you.
