Not So Fresh Poultry
It is amazing what producers and retailers can get away with in the United States. Poultry can be sold as “fresh” usually at a higher price compared to frozen poultry even if the “fresh” poultry was previously frozen. That’s correct. The retailer can buy frozen poultry, thaw it and sell it as fresh. You pay extra for the convenience of buying previously frozen poultry. Deceptive? It may seem like it, but is perfectly legal.
If you think that’s deceptive, how about buying chicken raised in the United States or Canada and processed in China?. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has approved selling chickens raised in the US and Canada, processed and imported back in to the United States from China. It will be interesting to see if the fact is noted on the packaging. So don’t be surprised if some of these long distance chickens aren’t sold as “fresh” by your local supermarket.
Supermarkets have been selling previously frozen fish as fresh for decades. Some people believe fresh means higher quality than frozen. That’s true if you live near the ocean and buying fish caught the same day. But fish sold in most areas of the United States are caught thousands of miles away, processed, and frozen for the long journey to their final destination. The best way to preserve the quality is to keep the fish frozen until you’re ready to cook it. Fish fillets will thaw in your refrigerator in less than 24 hours.
When it comes to “fresh” fish and seafood, it’s buyer beware.