Wondering how to get your seafood fix this Easter? Fear not! When it comes to seafood you can be well-prepared, avoid crowds and still serve up a healthy and delicious Easter feast or two.

Whether you buy from your local supermarket, seafood retailer or even from one of many suppliers now delivering to your door, the good news is, frozen seafood tastes as good as fresh, we’ve got the science and recipes to prove it!

A study conducted at the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries food technology labs set out to test whether there are sensory or culinary differences between fresh and frozen product of the same species. The results surprised all, with sensory experts unable to distinguish between the fresh or frozen samples. The research was funded through the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation (FRDC).

The research tested fresh and frozen of the same species side by side, with testing groups comprising of chefs from high-end restaurants (with a seafood focus) and experienced seafood sensory panellists trained in profiling food.

FRDC general manager for communications, trade and marketing, Peter Horvat said:

“In the test trials, neither group could tell the difference, and let’s be honest if a professional can’t tell the difference, then consumers are not likely to either”​​.​​​

This research has shown that Australian fish when frozen rapidly, soon after harvest and processing, cannot be differentiated by eating quality from chilled (‘fresh’) seafood. Additional testing showed the same results for a range of well-known Australian species used up to a 6-month frozen storage period.

The results open the ‘freezer’ door for both producers and consumers providing, good shelf life, and flexibility for when seafood can be eaten and when it is available.

Peter said:

“In these strange Coronavirus times, we want to give seafood consumers some easy solutions for preparing healthy, nutritious and tasty seafood meals.”

“The rationale for this project arose from our consumer survey which aimed to understand the reasons people don’t eat seafood and to find solutions to these.”

Some key seafood facts to remember this Easter are:

• Seafood is healthy
• Freezing seafood has no impact on its taste
• Freezing is a convenient way to purchase seafood
• Cooking from frozen is easy
• Purchase seafood frozen and enjoy at your convenience at home

To support and extend the findings, the FRDC developed with recipe specialists the Fish Fresh+Frozen cookbook. The cookbook is now free to download from the Fishfiles website –fishfiles.com.au/media/cook-books.

Read more about the research project here:  frdc.com.au/media-publications/fish/FISH-Vol-27-1/Seafood-quality-frozen-in-time.