# Remove Packaging?



## Roll_Bones (Jan 20, 2014)

I buy frozen salmon and cod fillets at Costco in 3 lb bags. Each fillet/section is in its own vacuum sealed/packed plastic bag.
On each individual bag it is written to remove the packaging before thawing or cooking.
Why must I remove the fish from the bag to thaw it out?

I have been meaning to ask them at the store.  But I doubt they know the answer. But I bet you guys do?


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## Rocket_J_Dawg (Jan 20, 2014)

I've noticed that as well. I always assumed it was so the fish isn't laying around in it's own slimey goop as it defrosts.


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## Roll_Bones (Jan 20, 2014)

Rocket_J_Dawg said:


> I've noticed that as well. I always assumed it was so the fish isn't laying around in it's own slimey goop as it defrosts.



I doubt they would care about that?
I am thawing out two sections of cod today. I am leaving them in the bag to thaw.  Lets see if there is a valid reason?

Edit:  I found these answers.

              1) Because bacteria can develop during the thaw process,  especially for seafood. When in an anaerobic (airless) environment,  there is a chance of the formation of the bacteria Clostridium  botulinum, also known as C-bot, a cause of food poisoning. By removing  the packaging, you eliminate the risk of C-bot contamination. Just to be  on the safe side, the FDA requires these guidelines for  all vacuum-packed seafood.

  2) A curious phenomenon with seafood. When it thaws in an  anaerobic environment (vacuum packed), there is a chance it will develop  Clostridium botulinum (aka: C-bot), a food poisoning. The chances are  not great, but the FDA requires the warning on all vacuum-packed frozen  seafood. The symptoms of C-bot are similar to botulism. C-bot is an  anaerobic spore-former, and as such air kills it. Therefore take the  frozen fish out of its vacuum pack and put it in a zip-lock with some  air in it.


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## Katie H (Jan 20, 2014)

Interesting information, RB.  Logic would have told me that in order to avoid bacteria/contamination, the package should remain sealed.  According to what you've found, the opposite is possible.  I'll remember this for future reference.  Although, I've been thawing our fish/seafood in the packaging, in the refrigerator, for years.  Guess we've been lucky.


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## Kayelle (Jan 20, 2014)

Interesting info to be sure! Thanks!


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## Roll_Bones (Jan 20, 2014)

After finding more information, I removed the cod sections from the vacuum sealed bags. LOL....

And they are thawing on my counter, not in the fridge. I need them for this evening.


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## roadfix (Jan 20, 2014)

I didn't know that.  Good to know.


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## Roll_Bones (Jan 20, 2014)

roadfix said:


> I didn't know that.  Good to know.



If you buy them you cannot miss the warning on the package labeling.
It says to remove the packaging before thawing.

So , if you did not know, you would when you open the bag and took out the sections.


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## PrincessFiona60 (Jan 20, 2014)

Must be a new warning...I haven't seen it on my purchases from Costco.


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## Kayelle (Jan 20, 2014)

PrincessFiona60 said:


> Must be a new warning...I haven't seen it on my purchases from Costco.



Me either, or on similar fish packs from Trader Joe's.


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## Dawgluver (Jan 20, 2014)

I think I do recall seeing the warning on some mahi mahi.


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## taxlady (Jan 20, 2014)

I bought a small package of frozen smoked salmon at the local deli that sells bagels. The lady behind the counter told me the same thing. She had been told by the food inspector. I was very surprised. I figured it had to be the anaerobic bacteria because she had been told that she could leave it in the package to thaw as long as she opened it.


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## PrincessFiona60 (Jan 20, 2014)

Of course it's been a month or so since I bought "fresh" fish.  The last fish I bought was breaded for Shrek.


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## RPCookin (Jan 20, 2014)

PrincessFiona60 said:


> Must be a new warning...I haven't seen it on my purchases from Costco.



I've never seen any warning either, and I've been thawing various fish in such packaging for as long as it's been around.  You would think that any such warning would be very prominently displayed.


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## Rocket_J_Dawg (Jan 20, 2014)

Mrs D has been buying Lox for as long as I can remember and the warning has always been on the package. We just did it. I figured they knew better than we did.


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## MrsLMB (Jan 20, 2014)

I have seen this warning many times.  Never really thought much of it, just did what it said.  Thanks for bringing this to our attention.


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## CraigC (Jan 21, 2014)

The only frozen fish I have ever dealt with is what I have frozen the day it was shot. The only cod I have ever had was salt preserved.


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## jennyema (Jan 21, 2014)

CraigC said:


> The only frozen fish I have ever dealt with is what I have frozen the day it was shot. The only cod I have ever had was salt preserved.




They shoot fish, don't they...  ;-)


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## Mad Cook (Jan 21, 2014)

PrincessFiona60 said:


> Must be a new warning...I haven't seen it on my purchases from Costco.


Just been to the freezer to check. It doesn't say anything on mine but I would anyway


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## Mad Cook (Jan 21, 2014)

jennyema said:


> They shoot fish, don't they... ;-)


In a barrel


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## CraigC (Jan 21, 2014)

Mad Cook said:


> In a barrel



The Atlantic is one big barrel! Some of those fish can be awful tricksy! Took me 8 dives, over a month to nail one particular 20# black grouper.


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## Kayelle (Jan 21, 2014)

Speaking of shooting fish, this was one of the funniest things I've ever seen on a reality TV show..."Ultimate Survivor Alaska" on the Nat Geo. channel. I laughed till I thought I'd choke.
Cowboy in a Boat - YouTube


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## taxlady (Jan 21, 2014)

That video was pretty wild (and funny). I don't think Craig does it that way.


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## Dawgluver (Jan 21, 2014)

taxlady said:


> That video was pretty wild (and funny). I don't think Craig does it that way.



  Probably not!


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## Roll_Bones (Jan 22, 2014)

Heres a picture (sorry about the quality) of the warning stamp on the individual sections of vacuum packaged fish I have been buying from Costco.
This has been the case for at least 3 years.
I buy salmon, cod and hake, and each one is marked like in the picture below.

Sorry I could not fix the picture. But the warning is blue writing all over the package.


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## taxlady (Jan 22, 2014)

Roll_Bones said:


> Hers a picture (sorry about the quality) of the warning stamp on the individual sections of vacuum packaged fish I have been buying from Costco.
> This has been the case for at least 3 years.
> I buy salmon, cod and hake, and each one is marked like in the picture below.


I don't see a picture.


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## Roll_Bones (Jan 22, 2014)

Sorry. I was editing, I mean trying to fix the picture.

I also had no idea the fish came from Russia!  Just now noticed when I clicked to enlarge the picture.


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## Andy M. (Jan 22, 2014)

Kayelle said:


> Speaking of shooting fish, this was one of the funniest things I've ever seen on a reality TV show..."Ultimate Survivor Alaska" on the Nat Geo. channel. I laughed till I thought I'd choke.
> Cowboy in a Boat - YouTube




Seems to me he's too stupid to have a gun.  What did he think would happen?


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## Kayelle (Jan 22, 2014)

Andy M. said:


> Seems to me he's too stupid to have a gun.  What did he think would happen?



 That's exactly what I thought too Andy! There was an oar he could have whacked it with but nooooooooo........

It's a very entertaining show by the way, and quite serious. That's what made it so funny for us. I can imagine Marty hated to be caught in the act of such pure stupidity.


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## taxlady (Jan 22, 2014)

Andy M. said:


> Seems to me he's too stupid to have a gun.  What did he think would happen?


My ex-DH got a Quebec gun handler's permit, so he could go hunting. There was a mandatory 1 day course. They spent a couple of hours reading out hunting "accidents" from the previous year. The two that come to mind:

A guy gets a cartridge jammed in his rifle. He braces is against his foot and works the action. It cleared the jam and he has a few less toes.

Two guys in a canoe. Neither one can swim. Neither one is wearing a life vest. They were travelling parallel to the shore. One of them stood up and took a shot at a moose on the shore. Guess what happened to the canoe.

A friend lived in rural New York. Her dad was a hunting guide. One year the hunter he was guiding asked if they liked his new bearskin coat that he had bought for hunting. They suggested he wear an orange vest over it. He got separated from the guide. They heard a shot. Then they heard someone shout, "I shot a talking bear!"


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## medtran49 (Jan 22, 2014)

CraigC said:


> The Atlantic is one big barrel! Some of those fish can be awful tricksy! Took me 8 dives, over a month to nail one particular 20# black grouper.


 
And the one (1), yes one, time I managed to shoot one you thought our dive buddy had shot it and I was just bringing it to the boat. 

BTW, for those of you that don't know, black groupers are very skittish and nearly always, 99.9% of the time, take off at the first sign of divers. They are very hard to catch spear fishing. I just happened to get extremely lucky that time with a curious black. And I was buddying up with someone who had nearly as much as experience as Craig, while next to them I was a rank amateur.

Though I was the only one that has EVER caught a lobster free swimming away from a diver (same guy I was buddying with) with 1 hand.  I beat both of them on that.  Just stuck my hand down and the lobster scooted right into it (they go backward when confronted).


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## Dawgluver (Jan 22, 2014)

medtran49 said:


> And the one (1), yes one, time I managed to shoot one you thought our dive buddy had shot it and I was just bringing it to the boat.
> 
> BTW, for those of you that don't know, black groupers are very skittish and nearly always, 99.9% of the time, take off at the first sign of divers. They are very hard to catch spear fishing. I just happened to get extremely lucky that time with a curious black. And I was buddying up with someone who had nearly as much as experience as Craig, while next to them I was a rank amateur.
> 
> Though I was the only one that has EVER caught a lobster free swimming away from a diver (same guy I was buddying with) with 1 hand.  I beat both of them on that.  Just stuck my hand down and the lobster scooted right into it (they go backward when confronted).



Deserved bragging rights, Medtran!


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