Japanese cuisine burst onto our tables. People actively buy sushi and rolls and often cook them at home. The dish has a fabulous taste until it goes bad. The multicomponent composition requires careful selection of products, adherence to technology and proper storage. Otherwise, a delicious evening will turn into poisoning.
Let's find out how long the rolls last after preparation and delivery, whether it is worth keeping sushi with fish at room temperature, what is the risk of freezing the Japanese food.
What are sushi and rolls, their types
To be sure to know the shelf life of the product, first decide what type of Japanese cuisine you decide to eat. Sushi and rolls are prepared from high-viscosity rice, different types of fish, nori seaweed, and other additives such as vegetables or cheese. Sushi differs from rolls only in appearance. Classic sushi looks like an oval, oblong, beautifully arranged lump of rice with a piece of fish on top. Traditional rolls are a rice roll wrapped in nori with a variety of fillings.
The dish is considered quite healthy. Each ingredient has its own “zest”. Rice is rich in complex carbohydrates and proteins, seafood – phosphorus and Omega-3, plant foods – fiber and vitamins. After eating the dish, you will feel improved health, a surge of strength and vigor.
Most often, rolls are classified according to the method of preparation of the fish from which they are made. Sushi is prepared:
- From fresh fish. Store for no more than 12 hours in the refrigerator.
- From smoked fish. The product can be stored in the cold for no more than 18 hours.
- From thermally processed fish. These include baked and fried rolls. They can be stored in a cool place for no more than a day.
- With shrimp, crab or squid. You can leave them in the refrigerator for up to 26 hours.
- Vegetables can be stored for up to 30 hours.
- With fruits. Sweet rolls should be consumed in less than 3 hours.
To properly store a dish, always pay attention to what kind of fish or food they are prepared from.
Is it possible to freeze rolls?
Rice in the right packaging tolerates freezing tolerably; the shelf life in the freezer reaches three months. The same rule applies to cheese and eggs. But cucumber, avocado, and other fresh vegetables and herbs spoil incredibly after thawing. Fish and seafood are supplied to production frozen. Sent to the cell again - there is a risk of poisoning and loss of taste. Valuable ingredients are lost.
The second point is nori sheets. When any ingredients thaw, juices come out, the algae becomes limp, and the products lose their shape. They color the rice, fall apart, spoil the taste and overall impression.
You cannot freeze rolls, regardless of the type of filling. This method cannot increase the shelf life.
How long after cooking should the rolls be eaten?
According to Japanese traditions, the dish is prepared one piece at a time and eaten immediately. If you are confident in the quality and freshness of the ingredients, you can leave the rolls in the refrigerator for no more than a day. Keep in mind that sushi will taste best within 3 hours after preparation; it will be stored at room temperature for the same amount of time.
- If the dish contains raw fish, do not delay and eat it immediately.
- Smoked fish products are best consumed within 4 hours.
- Consider the place where the sushi was purchased. If you ordered dishes at a Japanese restaurant and had them prepared immediately after ordering, or made the rolls yourself at home, feel free to leave them in the refrigerator for a day.
- If you buy packaged goods in a store, be careful. No one can vouch for the freshness of the ingredients and the time elapsed after preparation. Carefully examine such sushi by appearance and eat it immediately after opening the package.
The benefits of Japanese cuisine
To prepare most dishes in Japanese cuisine, seafood and fish are used, which are rich in phosphorus, calcium and fatty acids.
- Fish and rice are an excellent combination for good digestion. The ingredients complement each other perfectly and are dietary.
- Nori seaweed sheets, which are part of the Asian dish, are rich in iodine, iron and calcium.
- Ginger is an excellent antiviral agent; it boosts immunity and fights colds.
- Wasabi improves blood circulation and absorbs antioxidants.
In what container should you store ready-made rolls and sushi?
Experienced Japanese chefs advise placing the product on a flat plate made of wood or porcelain and wrapping it in several layers of cling film. This way you can briefly extend the shelf life of the dish. If you don’t have such utensils at hand, a plastic container with an airtight lid will be a suitable container.
Place the sushi in a container, close it well and put it in the refrigerator. However, try to cook or buy rolls for one meal. Do not risk your own health by storing such a fancy product.
What is used in preparation?
While traditional sushi still retains the influence of authentic Japanese cuisine, sashimi and especially rolls have gone far beyond the idea of Japanese cuisine as rice, nori and fish combined together. The following are used in the preparation of these dishes:
- rice;
- nori seaweed;
- raw or lightly salted fish (salmon, tuna, sea bass, eel, etc.);
- seafood (shrimp, mussels, squid, crab meat, caviar);
- vegetables (pepper, carrots, cucumber, daikon) and fruits (avocado);
- cheese (feta, Philadelphia);
- some types of meat, for example, chicken, beef, pork;
- mayonnaise, tofu, omelette, mushrooms and many other ingredients.
Because of the versatility of these dishes, new recipes are constantly being created in different parts of the world with a variety of ingredients that have never been used in traditional Japanese cuisine. Therefore, now the composition of the rolls is amazingly diverse.
Where should it be stored?
If you decide to make sushi yourself, do not use raw fish. You will have to eat these rolls all at once. To save the dish for later, prepare sushi from smoked or lightly salted fish, bake or fry it.
When ordering food at home, pay attention to compliance with all storage rules. The container should not be made of cheap plastic, and the rice should not be dry. The lid must be tightly closed, and the date of preparation must be indicated on the package. Ideally, the best packaging is a sealed food bag with cooking times marked.
If you decide to leave rolls or sushi in the refrigerator, be sure to follow the rules for storing them in different temperature environments.
Storage at room temperature
If it is not possible to put the finished sushi in the refrigerator, place it in the coolest and darkest place. However, please note that at room temperature they will retain proper taste and quality only for 3 hours. Try to eat the product immediately after cooking.
How to store in the refrigerator
The best way to store rolls is to place them on the shelves of the refrigerator. In doing so, follow some recommendations:
- choose the warmest shelf in the refrigerator compartment, so you will deprive the product of exposure to low temperatures, which negatively affect the taste of the dish;
- Pack the sushi in a plastic container with a tight lid or wrap it in cling film.
Use the refrigerated storage method only when absolutely necessary.
Can rolls be stored in the freezer?
According to storage rules, rolls and sushi cannot be sent to the freezer. The fish used for cooking may be preserved, but the rice will become dry and the dish will lose its original taste. If you nevertheless decide to put the product in the freezer, keep in mind that after defrosting, the rice will lose the desired consistency, and the roll itself will fall apart and taste completely different from what it was fresh.
By ingredients
If you prefer homemade rolls and sushi, it is worth discussing the expiration dates of the ingredients included in them.
Rice
It’s ideal if you take special Japanese rice to prepare Philadelphia or California on your own.
When boiled, its shelf life is 12-24 hours.
Of course, it will not deteriorate during this time, but it will stop holding its shape and will fall apart.
You can cook and use regular short grain rice and store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
But no other variety has the stickiness needed for perfect rolls.
Ginger
Thanks to a marinade consisting of rice vinegar, salt and sugar, open pickled ginger can last up to 1 month in a cold place.
The information can be clarified on the packaging, since each manufacturer has its own method of preparation and brine composition.
And prepared independently at home - up to 3 weeks in ceramic or glass containers.
Ginger can be stored in the freezer; it will not lose its taste.
Nori (seaweed)
To prepare sushi and rolls, dried seaweed or rice paper (spring rolls) are used.
If you maintain humidity conditions, you can store nori or seaweed for a very long time.
Its shelf life directly depends on the initial quality of the algae and is 2 years . In open packaging - approximately 1 year, subject to the only condition: very low humidity.
Wasabi
Wasabi is sold in 2 consistencies: powder and paste. The shelf life of the powder is almost unlimited.
Depending on the manufacturer's additives, an open tube of paste can be stored in the refrigerator from several days to a month. Closed - lasts up to 2 years.
However, you must adhere to the dates indicated on the packaging.
What happens over time?
Since rolls and sushi are perishable products, after a while they become unsuitable for consumption. Rice most often becomes acidic, which typically affects the taste of the product and adverse consequences after eating it. The fish does not undergo heat treatment and is therefore susceptible to the influence of harmful bacteria and microorganisms. If the fish is completely raw, over time there is a possibility of infection with helminths.
Do not risk your own health and do not consume the product if the expiration date has passed.
What does it depend on?
First of all, the shelf life of Japanese cuisine depends on the ingredients used in the preparation of rolls, sashimi or sushi.
Traditionally, Japanese cuisine was made from raw ingredients, including fish.
However, in Russia it is often replaced by lightly salted fish. The use of uncooked products sharply reduces the shelf life of traditional Japanese dishes.
Of great importance is the freshness of the ingredients used, compliance with hygienic conditions during preparation, as well as storage conditions for the finished dish.
How to distinguish fresh rolls and sushi from spoiled ones?
Low-quality ingredients in a delicacy can be seen with the naked eye. To do this, you don’t need to become a sushi master or study the intricacies of oriental cuisine. First of all, take a close look at the finished roll:
- If the sushi is shiny and bright, it means it has just been prepared. A dish that has stood for several hours becomes dull and does not look appetizing.
- In fresh rolls, the ingredients will be juicy and soft, the rice will be moist and white. Over time, rice dries out and turns grey, fish can harden, and vegetables can become watery.
- The aroma should be pleasant, without a sour smell.
To avoid getting a low-quality dish, order sushi sets only from trusted places or prepare them yourself at home.
How to know the freshness of rolls
If you don't know how long a product has been in the refrigerator, use visual cues. Take out the rolls and look at their condition.
If sushi is stored for too long, the color fades and the shine is lost. You need to pay close attention to the smell. If you decide to try a product, they will say about its staleness:
- Watery vegetables.
- Dry or hard rice.
- Firm fish fillet.
- Dried seaweed.
This product is best disposed of. Eating stale food can cause gastrointestinal poisoning.
Toxins and harmful microorganisms accumulate in certain types of fish that have lost their freshness. Such products are especially dangerous for pregnant and breastfeeding women.
What are the dangers of using expired food?
Unfortunately, poisoning from Japanese cuisine is not uncommon. This is especially true for sushi and rolls with raw fish, which may contain helminth eggs or heavy toxic metals. Try not to eat sushi every day, and enjoy the dish only a few times a month. When eating, season the dish with wasabi sauce, which, when properly prepared, has an antibacterial effect. Also keep an eye on the quality of the rice. Cereals that are improperly processed and stored in a warm place accumulate dangerous bacteria - staphylococci.
Restaurants may ignore storage rules. Owners of Japanese food outlets neglect the quality of ingredients: they freeze fresh fish and buy low-quality ingredients for rolls. If you are not sure about the quality of sushi with raw fish, give preference to a product with smoked or lightly salted seafood, or prepare the delicacy yourself.
If you are poisoned by rolls, then within just a few hours after eating you will feel:
- nausea;
- weakness;
- gripping pain in the navel area;
- indigestion.
If you feel at least one of the symptoms, monitor your condition and do not delay seeking medical help.
What is it made of?
The main product in the composition is rice. In addition to it, fillings from fish and seafood are often used, which can be either raw or thermally processed. Most often they add salmon, tuna, eel, shrimp, crab sticks, sometimes squid, octopus, scallops, and mussels are added. Meat or chicken is less commonly used. Avocado, cucumbers, tomatoes, and lettuce are added from vegetables. The product is often wrapped in nori seaweed, or chukka or wakame seaweed can be added. In addition, they use caviar, Japanese pancake, various sauces, mushrooms, and cream cheese.
Home cooking Japanese dishes
At home, it is better to avoid using raw fish. Often the quality of raw materials is not high enough, there is a high risk of infection. Any products you like can be used. You don’t have to use complicated, expensive ones: you can prepare a simple dish. Vegetarians often prepare sushi and rolls on their own, finding it difficult to find suitable options in restaurants.
It is important to wash the instruments first and ensure the quality of the components.
How are rolls and sushi stored in sushi bars and stores?
In a real Japanese restaurant that values its reputation, rolls and sushi are not stored at all. The dish is prepared only immediately after the guest orders. Products for cooking are stored in special refrigerators in which the required temperature and humidity are maintained.
If you notice that in a specialized department they sell ready-made sushi straight from the refrigerator, after standing there for more than 3 hours, do not make a purchase, but give preference to trusted places or home-cooked sushi.
How can you tell if a product has gone bad?
The appearance, smell, and changed taste will help you understand that rolls or sushi have gone bad.
Rolls should have only a slight smell of iodine . A characteristic fishy smell or putrid aromas indicate that the dish is gradually rotting.
Any other uncharacteristic smell that signals spoilage of the dish should also scare away.
Dried rice that begins to fall out of the roll indicates that a lot of time has passed since preparation and the roll could have deteriorated. Dried nori seaweed also signals this .
Fresh rolls or sushi should literally “melt in your mouth.” Hardened filling indicates that the rolls are not fresh, which can be harmful to health.
What's good about fresh sushi?
Before we look at the main ways to store sushi, I will try to give a couple of practical tips. So, I'll start with the obvious: sushi, of course, is best eaten fresh. They taste much better if consumed immediately after cooking.
Fresh sushi is tastier and healthier
So is it even possible to store this dish? And how safe is it? And if it is safe, how long can it be stored at sub-zero temperatures? Sushi experts and fans of Japanese cuisine themselves say that if a dish sits for longer than 60 minutes, it will partially lose its taste and beneficial qualities . But not all connoisseurs of this exotic dish are so demanding - many calmly buy, for example, rolls that are stored for some time in the refrigerator of a simple supermarket. Or, with the same success, cook them at home, leaving some of what is cooked for tomorrow.
Shelf life of sushi
How is suitability regulated?
The expiration date of any product determines the period of time during which it can be eaten without risk of harm to health. The shelf life sets the time during which the basic characteristics and taste do not change significantly under certain storage conditions.
In other words, the expiration date sets the maximum consumption date after which the product cannot be eaten, because. it becomes dangerous to human health, and the shelf life is the date of desired use, upon reaching which the product loses its qualities, but is not yet harmful to health.
For rolls and sushi, shelf life and expiration dates are set by the manufacturer, taking into account the recipe used and manufacturing technology. Their production is not regulated by GOST, but there is a single standard - TU 9161-101-38826547-2015 “Japanese Snacks”.
A similar standard TU 9266-020-10926000-08 “Culinary Products of Japanese Cuisine” continues to apply. They clearly define the rules and conditions of storage, as well as expiration and storage dates. Manufacturers can develop their own specifications, but they must take into account the storage standards established by TsTP PP Normativ LLC. The expiration date is established from the date of manufacture.
Storage rules
Let us remind you once again that after preparation or delivery, it is better to eat Japanese treats immediately in order to get gastronomic pleasure with complete safety for your health. Seafood intoxication is complex and can lead to serious consequences.
Many domestic housewives are thrifty and are accustomed to cooking for their households at least a couple of days in advance. Of course, who has the desire to stand at the stove every day? It is generally accepted that rolls and sushi contain products that are classified as perishable. You buy, for example, rice cereal, fish sauce, seafood or smoked meats. But you cannot reliably know what path these products have traveled before getting into your grocery basket.
Shelf life also plays an important role, so it is advisable to choose fresh ingredients for rolls and sushi. After cooking, if you intend to preserve the freshness and taste of the treats, place them in the refrigerator or directly on the dining table, but for no more than one hour.
We have decided on the shelf life of these dishes. How to do this correctly? Of course, you should take care of airtight packaging, otherwise the rice cereal will quickly become weathered and take on an unappetizing appearance, and will also lose its taste.
But don’t immediately take plastic containers or plastic bags. Packaging made of durable paper, or parchment paper, is ideal. There should be no contact with air.
You can also use glass containers with high sides to store rolls and sushi. They must be hermetically covered on top with plastic wrap for food products to avoid chapping.
The quality and freshness of rolls can be determined not only by a professional or a gourmet. If you are just a fan of such treats, you can easily suspect something is wrong. Pay attention to appearance, consistency and color. Don't be afraid to smell the dish. The products included in rolls and sushi quickly deteriorate, and accordingly, if storage rules are violated or they are not fresh, a specific smell that gives off rottenness will not take long to appear.
Things to remember
- Shelf life: in the refrigerator at +5C: with raw fish no more than 12 hours, with smoked fish - 18 hours, after heat treatment - 1 day, with seafood - 26 hours, vegetable rolls - 30 hours, fruit rolls - up to 3 hours.
- Storage methods: in an airtight cardboard box, in a foil container, on a plate covered with parchment paper.
Sources
- https://uborka.co/tehnika/srok-godnosti-rollov
- https://uborka-v-dome.ru/kulinariya/skolko-mozhno-hranit-rollyi-v-holodilnike.html
- https://zagotovki-nazimu.ru/hranenie-roll.html
- https://PravaPot.ru/tovar/srok-godnosti/rollov.html
- https://mnogoli.ru/skolko-hranyatsya-rolly-v-holodilnike-posle-prigotovleniya
- https://comp-plus.ru/hranenie/skolko-mozhno-i-kak-pravilno-hranit-rolly-v-holodilnike
- https://podomu.info/cooking/foodstorage/skolko-mozno-hranit-rolly.html
- https://kakchistim.ru/produkty/srok-godnosti-rollov-sushi-skolko-xraneniya-xolodilnike.html
- https://domovoda.club/hranenie/263-skolko-hranyatsya-rolly-v-holodilnike
