Fish represents one of the pillars of the Mediterranean diet, highly valued for its ability to prevent cardiovascular diseases. Given its benefits, it is recommended to consume seafood two to three times a week. Hence the need to preserve their nutritional properties. Given the particularities of fish capture and production, subject to seasonality, one of the best formulas to achieve this is freezing. Many consumers wonder about the impact of this process on the product. Are qualities lost along the way? The answer is not only negative. Frozen fish has many advantages and properties, so its consumption is more than recommended by experts. Moreover, its benefits go beyond its healthy nutritional values.
National Geographic emphasizes that its consumption results in a lower environmental impact, reduces waste during processing, makes it possible to obtain the best seafood throughout the year and use only the necessary amount, while improving the safety of fishermen.
According to the prestigious travel magazinethe fact that the product does not have to reach its destination as soon as possible, as in the case of fresh seafood, avoids the need to transport it by plane, which reduces its impact on the environment. Removing urgency from the equation when it comes to delivering the product “keeps fishermen safer”, as they can choose to fish in the best conditions and have more time to transport the catch to the port. At the same time, by freezing the fish at sea, they can opt to use economical products and processing waste is reduced.
Frozen fish also allows the consumer to use the quantity needed, says National Geographic, which emphasizes that the flavor and nutritional values of the fish are not only not lost, but “are maintained from the moment of freezing. In this way, fish and seafood can be consumed at any time of the year.
In this regard Eroski Consumer points out that quick freezing guarantees “the nutritional and sensory maintenance of frozen fish”. In fact, as long as the cold chain is not broken, frozen fish keeps intact its vitamins, minerals and proteins, such as Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids, which reduce cardiovascular diseases, reduce the risk of thrombi and the so-called bad cholesterol, among other benefits.
Freezing also prevents the proliferation of bacteria or anisakis contamination. contamination by anisakisa parasite that appears in fish and can affect humans when consumed. Anisakis does not survive freezing, hence the obligation to freeze fish before cooking it in restaurants, says Antonio López Farré, PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from the Autonomous University of Madrid.
Why do consumers like frozen fish?
According to the report on the purchase of frozen seafood products, prepared by the Fondo de Regulación y Organización del Mercado de los Productos de la Pesca y Cultivos Marinos (FROM), frozen fish is consumed practically once a week. The reasons for choosing it? One in four consumers consider it a healthy food, while the rest buy it because they like it, it makes it easier to prepare food quickly and it serves as a base for preparing other dishes.
Among the benefits of frozen fish, in addition to maintaining a high nutritional value, Eroski Consumer highlights its long shelf life, its lower price, the wide range of fish available on the market and its presentation for all tastes (fillets, loins, logs, tails, etc.).
Mariscos Apolo has a wide selection of frozen fish for wholesalers. frozen fish for wholesalerssuch as swordfishimported from worldwide known fishing grounds in boxes of 5 kilos, selected whitinga white fish, also known as European hake, fished or pijota in six kilogram boxes; hake, in slices, in slices o fillets; ventresca/codfish belly/tail fillets, sorrels y black soleboth in 800 grams bags, as well as a long etcetera.
For its freezing in our modern facilities we use the latest techniques in the industry, to which we add a strict control in the cold chain to ensure the preservation of their nutritional properties intact. Everything so that the frozen fish maintains its advantages and properties.
