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Is there something you can look for? Am I left to the seller's word and my own discernment?

Aaronut
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Ryan Elkins
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2 Answers2

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General food safety guidelines give you four hours of time between 40F and 140F; more than that, and unsavory bacteria exceed nominally safe limits.

So, there's your safety limit. Total time counts, that is, in a bag back from the grocer for 2 hours, then in the fridge and back down to 34F and then out for 1 hour on the counter = 1 hour left until it needs to go over 140 for ten minutes (or 165 for 1 minute) or into your mouth.

And of course, there's the amount of time it was left on the dock, etc. etc.

That said, if you left fish in the fridge for a week, it would be mushy and bad tasting raw -- so you also must use your tastebuds and nose to see if you want to eat it raw; food safety isn't the only concern.

Peter V
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    Update: in the US, FDA requires freezing for a short period (depending on temperature) to kill parasites in order to receive a 'sushi grade' designation. This would probably be a good idea if you're extra concerned about being safe. – Peter V Jul 20 '10 at 19:56
  • It never hurts to bring a cooler with a couple ice packs to the grocery/fish monger. Especially if you live a decent distance away. – draksia Apr 09 '14 at 13:04
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Well, your discernment is indeed what you are looking for. You want really fresh fish. The usual advice for detecting really fresh fish apply. It can't hurt to have a fish source that you have good reason to trust.

bmargulies
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