Food posioning from fish at room temp?

[fisherwoman]

So here is my problem. I took some fish that had been frozen whole from icefishing. I put them in the bath tub last night thinking I would clean them in the morning. Then I sprained my wrist and had to wait for my man to come home and do it. So now the fish have been in bathtub for close to 24 hours. So they have been at room temp for at least 8 hours (after fulling thawing out). Should we risk it and eat one and see what happens?

[New Hunter Okotoks]

Why take the chance?

I personally would discard the fish and move on.

A good practice to get into is cleaning your fish on the ice(as long as you leave a bit of skin on to identify in case a C.O. stops you)
This has always been my preferred method because by the time I get home,I don't feel like cleaning fish.It's also a good way to pass some time between fish.

Some on this board will want you burned at the stake for wasting meat but sometimes ..it happens.

[fisherwoman]

Originally Posted by New Hunter Okotoks

Why take the chance?

I personally would discard the fish and move on.

A good practice to get into is cleaning your fish on the ice(as long as you leave a bit of skin on to identify in case a C.O. stops you)
This has always been my preferred method because by the time I get home,I don't feel like cleaning fish.It's also a good way to pass some time between fish.

Some on this board will want you burned at the stake for wasting meat but sometimes ..it happens.

I really don't want to waste the meat. And usually I do clean the fish on the ice and take the guts home. And I agree, I'm sure I've ticked off someone on the board already. But not a whole lot I could do about it one-handed
He is cleaning them now, but the meat is very soggy. I might have to be a gunie pig and eat one to see if it stays down or not! Worst that can happen is I loose my lunch right? Or could I actually do myself harm?

[New Hunter Okotoks]

Google "botulism" and see what you think.(bad news)

Soggy meat does not sound too appealing to me!

Just my$0.02

[fisherwoman]

Originally Posted by New Hunter Okotoks

Google "botulism" and see what you think.(bad news)

Soggy meat does not sound too appealing to me!

Just my$0.02

Point taken. Not worth it. I feel like the worst person ever for letting the meat get warm. But it is impossible to clean a slimy burbot with one hand!
Thanks for ur input new hunter.

[nicemustang]

I think it's fine. How long does it take for bacteria to form? More than 24 hours at room temp, let alone 8 in the tub where they were probably cool not warm. I wouldn't think twice to eat.

[Geezle]

Originally Posted by nicemustang

I think it's fine. How long does it take for bacteria to form? More than 24 hours at room temp, let alone 8 in the tub where they were probably cool not warm. I wouldn't think twice to eat.

X2

If you're really concerned freeze the meat again before you eat it.

[Fishfinder]

I just recently renewed my food safe certificate as I am sure all chefs/cooks in Alberta will need to have soon, no matter where they work, as long as they are handling food. This is a good thing!! It was a great reminder of proper food handling procedures and a whole bunch of stuff I won't get into. Anyways, holding any sort of meat in non-running water (especially warm) as a thawing technique is not right. Bacteria forms and multiplies as soon as the water warms up to 4 degrees or above. If the water has not been maintained at below that temp the whole time, u got a bunch of bacteria in there. 8hrs fully thawed, sitting in a tub, a BATHTUB! full of warm water- Absolutely throw it out!!! I know alot of people thaw meat this way (maybe not in their bathtub)and alot likely don't get sick from it....or do they....as a food born illness can take from 1 hr to 70+ days to occur. And it is next to impossible to prove where it actually came from without painstaking, costly efforts.
When in doubt, Toss it out!
It's too bad the fish won't be eaten but it's not worth the risk of Serious food born illness to anyone! Hope ur wrist feels better

[T-Bone]

Myself I would not eat them.. Being a chef by trade I would not take the chance. I realize it is kind of a waste but if you have seen full blown food poisoning you should be wary.Fish specially seafood will not only make you feel like crap but will put you in the hospital with some very serious effects.I usually defrost in the fridge but have also used the sink,but 8 hrs is chancey at best. I am not saying its bad but it is just not worth it.. I have a friend that came in from out of town and wanted fish and chips at 11:00 pm.. Well he got a case of food poisoning and ended up in the hospital. He went from 210 to 160 in 3 days and suffered for 3 weeks....Weak as a kitten. Its like rolling the dice....... some times you win and some times you lose.... Just not worth it

[fisherwoman]

Originally Posted by Fishfinder

I just recently renewed my food safe certificate as I am sure all chefs/cooks in Alberta will need to have soon, no matter where they work, as long as they are handling food. This is a good thing!! It was a great reminder of proper food handling procedures and a whole bunch of stuff I won't get into. Anyways, holding any sort of meat in non-running water (especially warm) as a thawing technique is not right. Bacteria forms and multiplies as soon as the water warms up to 4 degrees or above. If the water has not been maintained at below that temp the whole time, u got a bunch of bacteria in there. 8hrs fully thawed, sitting in a tub, a BATHTUB! full of warm water- Absolutely throw it out!!! I know alot of people thaw meat this way (maybe not in their bathtub)and alot likely don't get sick from it....or do they....as a food born illness can take from 1 hr to 70+ days to occur. And it is next to impossible to prove where it actually came from without painstaking, costly efforts.
When in doubt, Toss it out!
It's too bad the fish won't be eaten but it's not worth the risk of Serious food born illness to anyone! Hope ur wrist feels better

Many good points. We won't eat the fish, just not worth getting sick over. A waste a food on my part though As for the fish in the tub, I did not have them in water. Just fish in a tub, surrounded by room temp air.

[fisherwoman]

Originally Posted by Geezle

X2

If you're really concerned freeze the meat again before you eat it.

Will refreezing kill the bacteria you think?

[Fishfinder]

Originally Posted by Geezle

X2

If you're really concerned freeze the meat again before you eat it.

This is the worst possible thing u can do with it. Now u have warm bacteria growing way faster as it reaches freezing temp. No matter how u cook or thaw it from this point u cannot get rid of the bacteria, the fish will be rotten, as u should b able to tell from the taste/smell. Trust me, don't do it and definently don't serve it to anyone! Cheers!

[Fishfinder]

Originally Posted by fisherwoman

Will refreezing kill the bacteria you think?

will make it way way way worse

[Fishfinder]

Best way to thaw any meat is in a cooler/fridge (doesnt reach the danger zone ever, where bacteria forms at 4-60 degrees). Or under cold running water - but thats alot wasted water

[Geezle]

Originally Posted by fisherwoman

Will refreezing kill the bacteria you think?

That's what I've been lead to believe...however this thread is making me think that I may have been lead astray

[theycallmeNoah]

I've had severe food poisoning that put me in the hospital and I would not wish that upon my worse enemy. It took me weeks to feel better.

It is not worth it.

[baitfisher83]

I'm glad you posted this, as I have 5 burbs from my trip yesterday that I still have to clean, I didn't take the supplies to clean them on the ice and they were frozen solid when I got home. So should i thaw them in the fridge for a few hours?

[Fishfinder]

Originally Posted by Geezle

That's what I've been lead to believe...however this thread is making me think that I may have been lead astray

U may very well just have an iron stomache there Geez, I like to think I do but trust me, as T-Bone's post stated, food illness is not something to b taken lightly as it can very well be lethal. And though our immunities may have somewhat of a tolerance (so we may think), everyone is different. Glad to see this thread is hopefully helping ur fish storing/thawing techniques.
P.S. - keep up the great threads

[GeoTrekr]

Originally Posted by Fishfinder

This is the worst possible thing u can do with it. Now u have warm bacteria growing way faster as it reaches freezing temp. No matter how u cook or thaw it from this point u cannot get rid of the bacteria, the fish will be rotten, as u should b able to tell from the taste/smell. Trust me, don't do it and definently don't serve it to anyone! Cheers!

Originally Posted by Fishfinder

will make it way way way worse

x2. Never refreeze anything that's previously been frozen. It's not good practice, and could be potentially dangerous.

Refreezing is bad for three reasons. First, by refreezing food you multiply the damage to it--any cells that escaped rupture the first time the food was frozen are at risk of being ruptured the second time. Second, when food has been frozen and thawed out, it has larger pockets of liquid within it than the first time due to the ruptured cells. When the food is refrozen, the larger pockets of liquid can freeze into much larger ice crystals, which can tear through many more cell membranes and lead to more damage to the food. (The best way to avoid cell damage, incidentally, is flash-freezing, which produces smaller ice crystals, minimal cell damage, and maximum freshness.)

The third and most important reason not to refreeze is increased risk of spoilage due to microorganisms. Many people thaw food by letting it sit at room temperature for several hours, giving the microorganisms in it time to get busy and partially spoil the food before it's refrozen. The problem is particularly pronounced in large pieces of meat such as a turkey, some parts of which may be at or near room temperature for hours during thawing. That's why turkeys should be thawed in a sink filled with water--the water equalizes the temperature and makes for faster thawing. Alternatively, you can thaw in the refrigerator, which is slower but ******s spoilage by keeping the meat cool. Even so you're likely to have some multiplication of microorganisms. If you refreeze and rethaw, you've subjected the food to double the microorganism growth and double the fun.

If you must refreeze food that has been thawed in a warm place (or which has remained thawed in a cold place for a long time), you should cook the food properly first, then refreeze it. Even under the best circumstances, however, multiple freezing cycles aren't recommended. If you can't finish the food yourself, you're better off giving it to your household garbage disposal--ideally the one that barks or meows.

[Fishfinder]

Originally Posted by baitfisher83

I'm glad you posted this, as I have 5 burbs from my trip yesterday that I still have to clean, I didn't take the supplies to clean them on the ice and they were frozen solid when I got home. So should i thaw them in the fridge for a few hours?

Yup, should be fine.
Not trying to scare anyone here. My main point is just not to let your food reach that danger zone of 4-60 celcius or 40-140 farenheight. Anywhere in that range microorganisms grow and bacteria forms. Stay outta the zone and ur all good. This is why cooler thawing is best, cuz the whole fish maintains a cold temp as it defrosts. Hope this helps..n hope ur next catch out there is ur lil lost rod
Cheers.

[Fishfinder]

GeoTrekr jus hit the nail on the head, dead on! Eat safe all

[Redfrog]

I would make sushi for the inlaws.

[Oilberta]

Originally Posted by Redfrog

I would make sushi for the inlaws.

Could you invite my inlaws also?

[cujo1969]

Does'nt coooking them to a certain temp kill the bacteria? Survivorman ate rotten fish and rats just have to make sure they were fully cooked.
Some fish u cant filet on the ice as you need to be able to establish they are long enough.

[shayne]

Gills and guts rot the quickest. Remove them and freeze until you are at home, cook and eat. Soaking whole fish in a bathtub without proper cleaning will make you sick and maybe kill you or someone you love. If you cant properly clean your kill then don't kill.

[Geezle]

Originally Posted by Fishfinder

U may very well just have an iron stomache there Geez, I like to think I do but trust me, as T-Bone's post stated, food illness is not something to b taken lightly as it can very well be lethal. And though our immunities may have somewhat of a tolerance (so we may think), everyone is different. Glad to see this thread is hopefully helping ur fish storing/thawing techniques.
P.S. - keep up the great threads

I think I do have a bit of an iron gut, but I also don't usually have occasion to refreeze things, such as fish. Normally once it's out of the freezer, it gets eaten Nevertheless I'll tuck this one away for future reference

[dmckay]

I received a call from the girlfriend yesterday that she went to take out a couple of deer steaks for dinner and realized the power to the freezer had cut out. She said when she picked up the packages that they were room temp. In my last career I was a Soux Chef and have taken the foodsafe course......but it was my first season and my first deer She had plugged the freezer back in and it had cooled by the time I got home, which was probably about an hour. When I checked, everything was quite cool and out of desperation.................................

I did something I would have never done......I had mulie steak for dinner.

This could have been the stupidest things I've ever done.....but I am not sick today....phewwww

[The Fisherman Guy]

I almost kicked the bucket in camp in Tumbler Ridge, after eating spoiled Trout that the campy cooked for us. Almost everyone got E-coli, and good lord, it was awful. I would not wish that on anyone.

Think of it this way:

With all the bacteria in the intestinal system of any animal/ fish, as soon as it has perished, the immune system no longer keeps the bacteria in check.

Surrounded by food, the bacteria immediately goes to work on decomposing the fish, which has a higher water content than red meat. The bacteria will take over very fast, and you are taking chances if you decide to consume that meat the longer you leave it at room temp.

Clean your fish IMMEDIATELY after death. Remove the gills, and the entrails completely, including the kidneys, that run along the spine on most fish. IDEALLY, pack the fish with snow or ice and leave it belly side down to let the excess blood and fluid drain from the meat. This will enhance the meaningful flavors of the fish.

I read this in a smoking handbook, I forget the name of it. Since I have been doing this, the fish I have cooked for company usually gets compliments.

[slingshotz]

I've had food poisoning a few times from eating stuff that the little voice in the back of my head says it's a bad idea. LISTEN TO THE LITTLE VOICE!!

If you feel guilty of wasting the fish, put it in the compost or bring it back to the waters you caught it from. I personally don't even throw the guts into the garbage as I hate the thought of it sitting in a plastic bag rotting for the next 10000 years. Fish guts, bone, skin, makes amazing compost for your plants or aquatic plants in the lakes as they decompose. It's the easiest form of recycling, letting nature take it's course.

[Paul C]

Fish guts help the strawberrys grow. There is no waste in any of the fish.
Happy Fishin !