Fresh whole red snapper fish on ice showing bright clear eyes and red gills

How to Choose Fresh Seafood at the Market: A Buyer's Guide

October 31, 2026

Fresh seafood gives itself away

Seafood deteriorates faster than any other protein, which means freshness is both more important and more readable than with meat. A fish that was caught yesterday looks, smells and feels distinctly different from one that has been sitting for four days. The signs are reliable once you know them, and they work at a wet market, a supermarket counter, or when a delivery arrives.

Whole fish: the five checks

Eyes: should be clear, bright, and slightly bulging. Cloudy, sunken, grey eyes indicate age. This is the single most reliable visual sign on a whole fish.
Gills: lift the gill cover. Fresh gills are bright red or pink and moist. Brown, grey, or slimy gills mean the fish is old.
Smell: fresh fish smells of clean seawater, or of almost nothing. A strong fishy smell, or any sourness or ammonia, means it is past its best.
Flesh: press it gently. Fresh flesh springs back and leaves no dent. If your finger leaves an indentation that stays, the fish is old.
Skin and scales: should be shiny, metallic, and tightly attached, with a fresh slime coat that looks clear, not yellowed or clumpy.

Fish fillets and steaks

Without the eyes and gills to check, fillets require closer attention to flesh and smell. The flesh should be moist, glossy, and translucent rather than dull or chalky. White fish should be genuinely white or faintly pink, not yellowing at the edges. Oily fish like salmon and mackerel should have bright, vivid colour. The flesh should look freshly cut, not dried out or gaping (where the muscle segments separate, a sign of age or poor handling). Avoid fillets sitting in a pool of milky liquid. And as always, the smell should be clean.

Prawns and shrimp

Look for firm, translucent flesh and intact shells tightly attached to the body. The heads, if on, should be firmly attached and not black or loose — heads detaching and blackening is the first sign of age (a little blackening, called melanosis, is harmless but indicates the prawn is not at its freshest). Fresh prawns smell of clean sea. Any ammonia smell means they should be rejected. The flesh should be firm, not mushy or slippery.

Shellfish: clams, mussels, oysters

Live bivalves should be alive when you buy them, which means tightly closed shells, or shells that close when tapped. A shell that stays open after tapping is a dead animal and should be discarded. They should smell of clean sea and feel heavy for their size (light ones may be dead and empty, or full of sand). Buy them as close to cooking time as possible and store them in the fridge covered with a damp cloth, never sealed in water or an airtight bag, which suffocates them.

Squid, cuttlefish and octopus

Fresh squid and cuttlefish have firm, slightly translucent flesh with a clean sheen, and the skin (if on) is intact with its mottled colouring. As they age, the flesh turns from white to pinkish or yellowish and becomes soft. The smell should be mild and clean. Fresh octopus has firm flesh and intact skin; a strong smell or slippery, mushy texture indicates age.

A note on Singapore conditions

In Singapore's heat, seafood's window of freshness is short. The journey from the market or counter to your fridge matters more here than in cooler climates. Bring an insulated bag for seafood, keep it cold, and refrigerate or cook it as soon as you get home. Seafood bought in the morning and left in a warm car for an hour has lost much of the freshness you paid for. For deliveries, a proper cold chain — refrigerated transport rather than ambient delivery — is what preserves the quality between the supplier and your kitchen.

Frequently asked questions

What is the most reliable sign of fresh fish?

On a whole fish, the eyes — clear, bright and slightly bulging means fresh; cloudy and sunken means old. Combined with bright red gills and a clean smell, the eyes give the most reliable quick read.

Is a fishy smell normal?

No. Genuinely fresh seafood smells of clean seawater or almost nothing. A strong fishy smell, sourness, or ammonia indicates the seafood is past its freshest and breaking down. Trust your nose.

Should mussels and clams be open or closed when I buy them?

Closed, or closing when tapped — that means they are alive. Discard any that stay open after a firm tap, as those are dead and unsafe. After cooking, the rule reverses: discard any that stay closed.

How soon should I cook seafood after buying?

As soon as possible, ideally the same day, especially in Singapore's heat. If you must store it, keep it on the coldest shelf of the fridge over ice and cook within a day. Freeze immediately if you are not cooking it soon.

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