Q: Does raw fish (sashimi) have to be frozen once before consumption?
A: This answer is not quite as easy to answer without breaking down the information first.
When it is regarding “fresh water” fish the answer would be a definite YES. And this does include Salmon! Although a Salmon spends most of its migratory life in salt water, it does swims upstream into rivers (fresh water) to spawn.
f.y.i. If you look into Japanese Cuisine further, you will notice that there are only a few types of fresh water species used in sushi and they are all heat processed (cooked, grilled, steamed, etc.). A perfect example would be Unagi.
However, when the question is regarding “salt water” fish, the answer is NO. It does not have to be previously frozen.
Most Japanese will (without a doubt) choose “fresh” sashimi over “previously frozen” sashimi in a heartbeat. The taste, texture, scent and colour will change (sometimes drastically) depending on the species and how it is frozen.
f.y.i. When freezing fish for use as Sashimi later, you should definitely get your fish “blast frozen”. This is a freezing process, where the fish are placed into a freezer set at -50 degrees celsius or below that continuously blasts freezing air onto the products, thus reezing the product within minutes, allowing the fish to remain as fresh as possible.
Keep in mind though, when eating sashimi (raw fish) you must make sure it is absolutely fresh. How many days has it been since the fish was caught? Check the quality by using your senses!
1) Smell it…does it smell? Fresh fish should NEVER smell “fishy”
2) Feel it…does it feel firm? Fresh fish should always be plump not mushy
3) Look at it…is the colour of the fish translucent? It should never be brownish in colour
4) Taste it…does it taste fresh? Fresh fish should NEVER taste “fishy” or “pungent”
All the fish we bring into Canada from Japan is processed via “Rapid processing”. Rapid Processing is when the innards of a fish are removed immediately upon being caught, before they have a chance to burst. This prevents the bacteria and parasites from entering into the body cavity
Another important factor when consuming sashimi, if you notice, it is always eaten with Shoyu (Japanese Soya Sauce) and Wasabi (Japanese horse radish). With some species a citrus fruit such as yuzu is also used. All these so-called seasonings for Sashimi are actually antioxidants. They are not only used to add flavour or zest to the fish but, it actually has medicinal values to “kill off” any of the microorganisms and parasites in the fish.
There is also one more important point to be made. All food and food products imported into Canada MUST be checked, inspected, lab tested, and then finally released by the CFIA (Canadian Food Inspection Agency) before it reaches any cutting boards and display cases in Canada.
