How to identify urea marinated sea fish

Nowadays, to keep fish fresh longer, some retailers have used urea - a chemical that can be harmful to health if consumed in large quantities. The appearance of fish marinated with urea looks very fresh: the eyes are still clear, the gills are still bright red, the fish body is still bright and looks sturdy. Therefore, if consumers are not knowledgeable, it is easy to confuse.

How to distinguish fresh sea fish and sea fish marinated with urea

Identifying urea-treated sea fish is very important in protecting your family's health. So how can you distinguish between naturally fresh fish and fish that looks fresh due to urea treatment?

The most effective way to identify urea-treated sea fish is to press your hand on the fish's body. Although it looks hard on the outside, has clear and full eyes, and red gills, if you press your hand on it, you will feel the difference, because fake fresh fish due to chemicals will not have elasticity, the meat will be soft and flaky, and the scales will peel off easily; the fish's body will be concave and will not return to fullness when you lift your hand.

In particular, fish marinated with urea looks very fresh at the market, but when you buy it home and wash it a few times, its true form will be revealed and it will become soft and mushy.

Smell is also an easy sign to recognize. Fish marinated with urea has a strange strong smell, not the typical fishy smell of fish.

Fresh fish kept at room temperature only stays fresh for a few hours, while fish marinated with urea can stay “fresh” for an unusually long time, with little outward sign of spoilage.

When cooked, fresh fish has a natural aroma and firm, chewy meat. Fish marinated with urea when cooked may release a lot of strange liquid, have a slight fishy smell, have loose meat or have an unusual color.

Harmful effects of urea-marinated sea fish

Consuming marine fish treated with urea can cause many serious health effects:

- Food poisoning: Urea in fish decomposes into ammonia, which can cause poisoning with symptoms such as nausea, abdominal pain, and diarrhea.

- Affects the liver and kidneys: Urea is a waste product of the human body. When too much is absorbed through food, the liver and kidneys will have to work overtime to eliminate it, leading to impaired function of these organs.

- Accumulation of toxins in the body: Long-term consumption of foods containing chemicals can lead to chronic diseases and even increase the risk of cancer.

- Affects the digestive system: Urea can disrupt the intestines, causing an imbalance in the intestinal microflora, thereby reducing the ability to absorb nutrients.

Distinguishing between rotten fish and fresh fish

You can distinguish between fresh and spoiled fish based on the following signs:

- Observe the fish's eyes: Fresh fish have clear, bright eyes, slightly convex and naturally tight. Spoiled fish have cloudy, sunken eyes, may have a translucent white color or appear bruised.

- Check the fish gills: Fresh fish have gills that are bright red or light pink, without slime or foul odor. Spoiled fish have gills that turn dark brown, black, or have mucus and an unpleasant odor.

- Check the skin and scales of the fish: Fresh fish have shiny skin, scales firmly attached to the body, and do not peel off. Spoiled fish have dull skin, scales that peel off easily, and may have unusual slime.

- Feel the elasticity: When pressing on the fish body, fresh fish has good elasticity, leaving no dents; spoiled fish has soft, mushy meat, when pressed leaves an dent and does not bounce back.

- Smell: Fresh fish has a natural light fishy smell of the sea. Spoiled fish has a strong, rancid smell or a strange smell due to bacterial decomposition.

- Check the fish's anus: Fresh fish have a small, white or light pink anus. Spoiled fish have an enlarged anus, which may have discharge or be dark in color.

- Fresh fish when cooked has a characteristic aroma, firm meat and does not release much water. Spoiled fish may have a strange smell, loose meat and release a lot of cloudy water.