Unpack your seafood as soon as it arrives. Keep what you will cook within two days in the fridge at 4°C or colder, and freeze the rest, wrapped tightly. When you need it, thaw it in the fridge overnight. This guide keeps two things apart: the food safety rules, which come from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and NC State University's Cooperative Extension, and the packing tips from our Jurong West stall, which are what has worked for us and our customers rather than safety rules.
How long can fresh fish stay in the fridge?
Up to two days. The FDA's advice: if seafood will be used within 2 days, keep it in a clean fridge at 4°C (40°F) or below; otherwise wrap it tightly and freeze it. The FDA also says never to leave seafood out of the fridge for more than 2 hours, or more than 1 hour when it is above 32°C (90°F), so put your delivery away as soon as it arrives.
How do I freeze fish and seafood?
The FDA's advice is to wrap seafood tightly in plastic, foil or moisture proof paper before it goes into the freezer. From our stall, these steps keep the texture best:
- Pat everything dry; less water means fewer ice crystals.
- Portion into meal sizes, for example one fillet or 10 to 15 prawns per pack, so you only thaw what you need.
- Squeeze the air out of a zip bag, flatten it, then put it inside a second bag or box.
- Label each pack with the fish and the date it arrived.
Our freezer guide goes through each step with our customers' tips.
Regular packing or vacuum sealing?
Every order comes in regular packing: fillets in thicker packs and other fish in regular bags, sent in a plastic bag with an ice pack or a foam box with ice. For fillets you can also choose vacuum sealing at checkout, for $0.10 per fillet. A vacuum sealed pack keeps air off the fish in the freezer, which is why our freezer guide prefers it for long storage. Vacuum sealed fish needs one extra step when you thaw it, below.
What is the safest way to thaw frozen fish?
The FDA's advice is to thaw seafood gradually in the fridge overnight. If you need it sooner:
- Cold water: seal the fish in a plastic bag and immerse it in cold water.
- Microwave: use the defrost setting, but only if you will cook the fish immediately afterwards.
Vacuum sealed fish: take the fish out of the pack, or cut a hole in the pack to let air in, before you put it in the fridge to thaw. NC State's Cooperative Extension gives this advice because the airless pack can let botulism bacteria grow while the fish thaws.
Can I refreeze fish after thawing?
From our experience at the stall, avoid it: seafood that is thawed and frozen again loses texture and turns mushy or rubbery. That is why we portion fillets, so you only thaw what you will cook.
How long can fish stay in the freezer?
This is a quality guide from our stall, not a safety limit: frozen seafood keeps longer, but sweetness and texture fade. For the best taste we suggest:
| Seafood | Best within |
|---|---|
| Oily fish: salmon, saba, mackerel | 1 to 2 months |
| White fish: cod, threadfin, grouper, snapper | 2 to 3 months |
| Prawns, packed well | 2 to 3 months |
| Clams and other shellfish (cook clams first) | 1 to 2 months |
How do I handle live clams?
Food safety (FDA): live clams close when the shell is tapped; do not use any that stay open. Throw away clams with cracked or broken shells. The shells open during cooking; throw out any that do not open.
From our stall: our la la and flower clams are packed alive on ice, because without ice some open and die on the way. Cook them on the day if you can. To clean out the sand, soak them in salted water and change the water until no sand settles at the bottom. If you are keeping them, our restaurant chef customers steam them first and freeze them with a little of the broth.
How do I know fish is cooked?
The FDA advises cooking most seafood to an internal temperature of 63°C (145°F). Without a thermometer, fish is done when the flesh separates easily with a fork.
Order for the week
Many of our fillets come in portion sizes from 150 to 200G, or 1 KG packed into four packets, so one order can cover several meals. See our fillets, our delivery days and charges, or WhatsApp Xavier with a question.
Sources: US Food and Drug Administration, Selecting and Serving Fresh and Frozen Seafood Safely; N.C. Cooperative Extension, Thawing Vacuum Packed Fish.
