The best time to eat live fish

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Many people think that fish killed fresh and eaten right away tastes the best and is the most nutritious. In fact, the opposite is true; eating fresh fish raw is not scientific. So, when is the best time to eat for both nutrition and taste? After being slaughtered, although fish stop breathing, a series of biochemical and physical changes continue to occur within their bodies; these are generally divided into three stages: rigidity, autolysis, and **putrefaction. When a fish dies, it enters a rigid state; its jaw and gill covers are closed, but metabolic processes within its body continue, and its body temperature may even rise by a few degrees. During this stage, a small amount of lactic acid and phosphoric acid is produced in the fish meat; as a result, the meat becomes slightly acidic, which helps to inhibit the reproduction and growth of **microorganisms. But at this point, the fish meat becomes tough, which is not conducive to digestion and absorption by the human body. The proteins in its muscle tissue have not yet been broken down into amino acids, which are the main components of umami flavor. A few hours later, the fish meat reached the autolysis stage. During this process, various proteolytic enzymes in the fish meat come into action, breaking down some proteins into peptides and various amino acids. These substances have umami and sweet flavors, and they are key reasons why fish tastes better. If the autolysis phase continues, the elastic muscles begin to soften, the texture of the meat becomes poor, microorganisms start to multiply, and the fish enters a **spoiled state – such fish cannot be eaten. Based on these three stages, the optimal time to consume live fish is 2–6 hours after slaughter, that is, in the later stage of muscle stiffening and the early stage of autolysis. At this point, the fish meat is not only tender and delicious but also easy for the human body to digest and absorb. Before that, it’s best to store the freshly caught fish in the refrigerator’s freezer compartment. Most of the marine fish we buy in supermarkets are frozen. Such fish are not less fresh; after being caught, they are stored at low temperatures, which prolongs the period during which they remain firm, allowing them to retain their delicious flavor. http://image.haha.mx/2016/03/20/big/2176419_be1cf46ca8b47719dcf032963a42366c_1458443547.gif