On episode 896 of “I was today years old when I found out…,” we learn the deceptive little secret grocery stores are hiding in the seafood aisle. At least, that’s what this Walmart shopper discovered.
Some grocery stores have a whole section dedicated to seafood, with seemingly fresh food—including salmon, shrimp, scallops, and even whole fish. It almost feels like you’re shopping in a local seafood market.
But it turns out the seafood they’re selling doesn’t fall under the same definition of fresh that the public has.
Is seafood in the grocery store fresh?
In a viral video with over a quarter million views, Walmart grocery store shopper @highonrhy caught an employee filling the shrimp tray in the “fresh” seafood display with frozen shrimp.
“Ain’t nothing fresh. Look at this sh*t,” @highonrhy says while recording.
As it turns out, this is normal.
The food in this section is often labeled as “fresh” seafood, which, to many people, means that the fish was delivered the same day (or very recently) in as-is condition.
In the U.S., we often associate fresh with “never frozen.”
But that’s not how grocery stores are interpreting the term.
According to various sites, from an American shrimp company to food journalism sites, frozen seafood is as “fresh” as it gets.
Unless you’re buying your seafood directly from fishers, you’re likely getting some version of a frozen product, Southern Living reported. Commercial fishers and growers flash freeze their catches to preserve them.
This makes it so that the food will be at it’s next freshest state when you thaw it at home.
“The ‘fresh’ shrimp you see stacked on mountains of ice at your supermarket have most likely been frozen and are now thawed, which means they’re actually getting less fresh with every passing hour,” Bon Appétit reported.
So unless you’re 100% sure the seafood at your grocery store is “fresh-off the boat fresh,” which is unlikely, you’re better off getting something frozen.
“The frozen shrimp will taste better, cook better, and feel better. Well, just as long as they’ve been raised responsibly,” Bon Appétit wrote.
Even if you buy seafood that is fresh from the ocean and unfrozen, you have a much smaller window of time to cook it. Serious Eats reported that it’s recommended to cook this type of seafood as soon as possible after purchase.
@highonrhy ♬ original sound – HighOnRhy
How to buy the best frozen seafood
When you’re picking your frozen seafood, it’s recommended that you avoid bags that have freezer burn or are covered in ice, as this can affect the taste and texture of the item.
Some seafood is frozen in blocks using the Individually Quick Frozen (IQF) method. Experts recommend IQF because this food tends to be less damaged during the freezing process and thaws more easily.
How to properly thaw seafood
Seafood can be thawed a few ways, depending on the item. It’s usually safest to move the food from the freezer to the fridge and let it thaw overnight or for at least 12 hours. The other most common method is to place it in a sealed bag and submerge it in cold water.
Some things, like frozen fish, can even be cooked from frozen without thawing first.
Commenters react
“What’s crazy is that they charge us more for it being thawed out lol,” a top comment read.
“Stores have done that for years. A seafood worker told me years ago, you might as well get it from the freezer. They just cut the bags and pour. Same product,” a person shared.
“Most grocers near me have a label saying “thawed fish” they say it’s not supposed to be fresh, it’s for customers who don’t have time to thaw their fish & they need it ready to cook,” another wrote.
The Daily Dot reached out to @highonrhy for comment via TikTok direct message and comment and to Walmart via email.
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