Yesterday we bought some wet fish from Morrisons, (fresh ray wings) and it
said on the packet use by 21 august which is today. (I know that's cutting
the time window a bit fine) Also there was a sticker on it saying prepared
in this store, which i guess might mean it was transferred from the fish
counter into a packet and then placed on the shelves,

It tasted and smelt of ammonia and it was too awful to eat. I've heard of
dodgy meat departments rinsing old meat in a dilute bleach solution to
freshen it up.

Is it possible a similar thing is being done with fish would you guess?
But someone got the dilution rate wrong. Or is the ammonia always part of a
too old fish smell and taste ?

john royce wrote:
> Yesterday we bought some wet fish from Morrisons, (fresh ray wings)
> and it said on the packet use by 21 august which is today. (I know
> that's cutting the time window a bit fine) Also there was a sticker
> on it saying prepared in this store, which i guess might mean it was
> transferred from the fish counter into a packet and then placed on
> the shelves,
> It tasted and smelt of ammonia and it was too awful to eat. I've
> heard of dodgy meat departments rinsing old meat in a dilute bleach
> solution to freshen it up.
>
> Is it possible a similar thing is being done with fish would you
> guess? But someone got the dilution rate wrong. Or is the ammonia
> always
> part of a too old fish smell and taste ?

The ammonia smell/taste is characteristic of skate which is not fresh.
I suggest you tell the store. I do not like to buy packaged fish -
buy it fresh, ask for a sniff test and if it doesn't smell fresh and
sweet don't buy it. In the case of a whole fish, check the eyes. If
they're sunken and dull, don't buy it.

On Fri, 21 Aug 2009 15:25:18 +0100, john royce wrote:

> Yesterday we bought some wet fish from Morrisons,

"Wet fish"? Does this just mean "fresh fish"? Not trying to be a
wiseass [for a change], I've just never heard the term before.

> It tasted and smelt of ammonia and it was too awful to eat. I've heard of
> dodgy meat departments rinsing old meat in a dilute bleach solution to
> freshen it up.

Cartilaginous fish often smell mildly of ammonia even when raw and
fresh. It's gets worse as they deteriorate. Yours had gone bad,
and then some. You should not be able to smell or taste it after
cooking.

-sw

Sqwertz wrote:

> Cartilaginous fish often smell mildly of ammonia even when raw and
> fresh. It's gets worse as they deteriorate. Yours had gone bad,
> and then some. You should not be able to smell or taste it after
> cooking.

This is exactly right!

"Sqwertz" > wrote in message
...
> On Fri, 21 Aug 2009 15:25:18 +0100, john royce wrote:
>
>> Yesterday we bought some wet fish from Morrisons,
>
> "Wet fish"? Does this just mean "fresh fish"? Not trying to be a
> wiseass [for a change], I've just never heard the term before.
>
>> It tasted and smelt of ammonia and it was too awful to eat. I've heard
>> of
>> dodgy meat departments rinsing old meat in a dilute bleach solution to
>> freshen it up.
>
> Cartilaginous fish often smell mildly of ammonia even when raw and
> fresh. It's gets worse as they deteriorate. Yours had gone bad,
> and then some. You should not be able to smell or taste it after
> cooking.
>
>

The ammonia odor has nothing to do with freshness. The kidneys of
cartilaginous fish discharge directly into their circulatory system. Upon
catching they need to be properly bled immediately or they're ruined.

Dora wrote:
<snip>
> The ammonia smell/taste is characteristic of skate which is not fresh.
> I suggest you tell the store. I do not like to buy packaged fish -
> buy it fresh, ask for a sniff test and if it doesn't smell fresh and
> sweet don't buy it. In the case of a whole fish, check the eyes. If
> they're sunken and dull, don't buy it.

A little hint for you : Forget the eyes.
Check the gills. If they are still red, the fish is fresh.

Cheers,

Michael Kuettner

Michael Kuettner wrote:
> Dora wrote:
In the case of a whole fish, check
>> the eyes. If they're sunken and dull, don't buy it.
>
> A little hint for you : Forget the eyes.
> Check the gills. If they are still red, the fish is fresh.
>
> Cheers,
>
> Michael Kuettner

Absolutely right. Forgot the gills. Gone are the days when I could
buy from the dock.

On Fri, 21 Aug 2009 16:31:52 +0100, Ophelia wrote:

> Sqwertz wrote:
>
>> Cartilaginous fish often smell mildly of ammonia even when raw and
>> fresh. It's gets worse as they deteriorate. Yours had gone bad,
>> and then some. You should not be able to smell or taste it after
>> cooking.
>
> This is exactly right!

Of course it is! Don't act so surprised. Hrmpf.

-sw