How To Buy Fresh Fish Wednesday, March 5, 1997 Editor: This article is offered as a sidebar to the attached release on safe seafood. FORT COLLINS--Colorado State University Cooperative Extension food-safety specialist Heather Hart offers the following advice on buying fresh fish. * Fresh fish should have the nice, clean smell of the ocean. If a whole fish, a fillet, or a steak smells repugnant or like ammonia, it's old or has been mishandled. * If small particles of flesh come off when you run your hand across the fillet, the fish is old. * Wiggle the center bone of a fish steak. If the meat pulls away, it's old. * White-fleshed fish should have a bright, white color. If there are yellow tones, it's old. * The best way to store seafood you are going to cook within 48 hours is to keep it as cold as possible until it's ready to cook. Bury it in ice. Return to the Colorado State University News page. This page © 1997-1998 World Wide Express, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Many news stories on RamLine.com come from the Colorado State University Public Relations Office. You can get copies of the news releases directly by filling out this form.