Fish meat is fresh food, easily penetrated by bacteria and spoiled. Therefore, preserving fish meat properly is very important to ensure food hygiene and safety, avoiding poisoning for users. Preserving fish meat properly is one of the industrial kitchen operating standards.
Preserving large quantities of meat and fish in industrial kitchens requires the following principles:
1. Prepare meat and fish before storing
Before storing, wash the fish meat with clean water, remove dirt, bones, and inedible tendons. For beef and pork, wash with diluted salt water or lemon to remove odors. For fish, wash with diluted salt water or white wine to remove fishy odors.
2. Sort meat and fish before storage
Meat and fish should be classified into separate types, such as beef, pork, chicken, fish, seafood, etc. to avoid cross-contamination.
3. Package meat and fish before storage
After processing, the fish meat must be tightly packaged to limit bacteria from entering. You can use plastic bags, plastic boxes, etc. for packaging.
4. Store meat and fish at the right temperature
Meat and fish should be stored at the appropriate temperature to ensure quality. For beef, pork and chicken, they should be stored in the refrigerator at a temperature of 0 - 4 degrees Celsius. For fish, they should be stored in the refrigerator at a temperature of 0 - 5 degrees Celsius. For cooked meat and fish, they should be stored in the refrigerator at a temperature of 0 - 4 degrees Celsius for a maximum of 2 days.
5. Defrost meat and fish properly
If you want to defrost meat or fish, defrost slowly in the refrigerator or in cold water. Do not defrost meat or fish at room temperature or in the microwave as this can cause bacteria to grow.
6. Clean the refrigerator/cold storage regularly
Clean the refrigerator regularly to remove bacteria and avoid contaminating meat and fish.
7. Use fish meat in reasonable time
Meat and fish should be used within a reasonable time to ensure quality and food safety. food poisoning risk. For beef, pork, chicken, it should be used within 1-2 days after purchase. For fish, it should be used within 2-3 days after purchase.
8. Preserving meat and fish in cold storage
If possible, cold storage can be built to preserve large quantities of meat and fish. Cold storage needs to be designed and installed with a suitable cooling system to ensure stable temperature. Meat and fish stored in cold storage can be used for a long time, up to 1 year.
Notes when preserving meat and fish
- Do not leave meat or fish at room temperature for too long, maximum 2 hours.
- Do not wash fish meat under strong running water because it can cause bacteria to penetrate inside the meat.
- Raw fish meat should not be mixed with cooked fish meat.
- Do not reuse spoiled meat or fish.
Proper storage of fish and meat not only helps ensure food safety and hygiene but also helps maintain the quality and flavor of fish and meat.