8 tips to help you choose fresh produce

We all want to see only fresh products in grocery stores and supermarkets, but in reality, everything is quite different. Expired products are next to fresh ones on store shelves, and it is not so easy to distinguish between them.

We decided to help you avoid food poisoning and other misfortunes associated with the use of expired products.

8 PHOTOS

1. Fresh fish never has a strong fishy odor, only a mild characteristic aroma. Freshly caught fish may also open their gills, which should be red or pink.

2. Unfortunately, it is not so easy to determine whether meat is fresh or not. When buying it, you should pay attention to several factors at once: color, smell, and even your feelings when you touch the meat. Fresh meat is always hard, and when you press it, the dent quickly returns to its original shape. If the dent remains in the meat, the beef, pork, or poultry is not fresh.

3. The main criteria for the freshness of milk are smell, taste, and color. Although the first 2 things can only be checked after buying milk, its color can be seen right in the store. Fresh milk is pure white with a yellowish tinge.

4. Although you can usually tell how fresh fruits and vegetables are by how wilted they are and whether they have soft spots, eggplants have another feature that you can check their freshness by - their stems. If the stem has darkened and changed color from green to reddish, it's time to discard the eggplant.

5. Although unopened butter can last up to 9 months in the freezer, cut off a piece and look at the color before using it. If the inside of the oil is the same color as the outside, it means the oil is fresh and safe to consume. If the inside of the oil is lighter than the outside, it means that it has oxidized and is no longer fresh.

6. Choose dark orange or red persimmons. Dark spots on the skin are usually harmless unless the flesh next to them is sunken, which is a sign of putrefaction.

7. The freshness of oysters can be determined by their color and smell: they are usually plump, shiny, yellowish-brown. On the other hand, bad oysters look dry and cloudy and also have a strong fishy smell.

8. The best way to check the freshness of caviar is to smell it. Fresh caviar has practically no smell, and stale caviar has a sharp fishy smell. If you are still unsure if the caviar is fresh, try pouring water over it: fresh caviar should sink to the bottom, while sour or expired caviar will float to the surface.