How to buy fresh Heritage Atlantic Salmon

Here are some Dos and Don'ts that will help you ensure you're buying premium quality Atlantic Salmon.

For fresh Atlantic Salmon Steaks and Fillets

Do buy Atlantic Salmon with:

• An orange-to-red colour
• A slight sheen
• A smooth, clean cut

Plus, the meat should be firm, moist and somewhat translucent.

Don't buy Atlantic Salmon that has:

• A fishy odour — if it smells fishy, it's not fresh
• Excessive gaping and holes in the muscle fibre

For Whole Atlantic Salmon

Do buy Atlantic Salmon with:

• Clear, bright and slightly bulging eyes
• Bright, reddish-pink gills
• Shiny skin
• A firm, straight, and elastic body
• A bright pink-to-red colour
• Silvery scales that are firmly attached to the skin
• A belly that is intact
• Flesh that is tight to the bone

Don't buy Atlantic Salmon that has:

• Scars or scrapes on the skin
• Cuts, tears or discolouration on the belly
• A "fishy" odour — if it smells fishy, it's not fresh

For packaged Atlantic Salmon

Only buy Atlantic Salmon in a sealed container that contains no liquid.

What are these red spots?

Even though we handle our salmon with the utmost care, sometimes salmon are bruised during processing. This shows up on the flesh as a red spot. It's visually unappealing but harmless. So if you see a red spot, simply remove the bruised area and throw it away.

Gaping

Gapes form when the muscle fibres in salmon separate. Gapes may be just a slight separation at the surface or may continue right through the muscle to the skin of the fillet. Minor gaping happens, but excessive gaping occurs because of poor handling, improper storage or with fish that's less fresh.

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