Under the fluorescent lights of a bustling fish counter, every fillet looks icy, shiny and perfect – at least from a distance.
For many shoppers, that glistening display hides a simple fear: paying top price for fish that’s already past its best. In Spain, veteran fishmonger Luis Costa Pujol has turned that anxiety into a teaching mission, sharing blunt, practical tips online so customers can judge freshness for themselves long before they fire up the pan.
Who is Luis, and why people listen to him
Luis isn’t just another friendly face behind the counter. He’s the fourth generation of Costa Pujol Peixaters, a family business in Sant Cugat, near Barcelona, that has been selling fish since 1890.
His great‑grandfather, Llorenç Pujol, started by hauling fish inland by horse and cart to nearby towns. The journey was long, ice was scarce, and freshness was non‑negotiable. That obsession with quality has been passed down through the family.
Today, Luis mixes that old‑school expertise with TikTok tutorials from the shop, where he breaks down what he looks at first when he buys for the counter – and what customers should look at when they stand on the other side of the glass.
Good fish doesn’t need trust; it needs evidence. Luis wants shoppers to see and feel that evidence in seconds.
The rule that changes everything: feel the texture
For Luis, the single most reliable clue is texture. Not smell, not price, not even the colour of the ice.
Fresh fish should feel firm, even bouncy. When you press it gently with a fingertip, the flesh should spring back instead of leaving a dent.
If the flesh stays indented or feels mushy, you’re not looking at truly fresh fish, no matter how pretty the display is.
He also points out that the surface should look slightly shiny, not dull. A matte, tired appearance often means the fish has been sitting around for too long or has gone through several temperature changes.
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Colour, eyes and gills: the quick visual checklist
Once texture passes the test, Luis moves to colour and a couple of small but powerful details:
- Cut surface: A fresh fillet or steak should be moist and slightly pinkish or translucent, depending on the species, not chalky or grey.
- Eyes: Whole fish should have clear, bright, slightly bulging eyes, never sunken, cloudy or wrinkled.
- Gills: When visible, gills should look red to deep pink, not brown or faded.
He sums up his approach with a simple idea: if the fish looks lively and appealing to the eye, you’re already on the right track – but if anything looks tired or lifeless, walk away or ask questions.
Freshness signals at a glance
| Sign | What you want | What to avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Texture | Firm, elastic, holds shape | Soft, mushy, dents stay |
| Surface | Shiny, slightly moist | Dull, sticky or very dry |
| Eyes (whole fish) | Clear, bright, not sunken | Cloudy, opaque, sunken |
| Gills | Red or pink, clean | Brown, grey, slimy |
| Smell | Fresh sea, mild | Strong, sour, ammonia |
Why fresh fish matters for your health
Nutrition experts in Spain recommend at least three portions of fish every week, with a slight preference for oily fish such as sardines, salmon or mackerel. Similar advice is echoed by nutrition authorities in the UK and US.
Fresh fish is valued not just for flavour, but for its nutritional profile:
- High‑quality protein: Fish protein is easy to digest and contains all the essential amino acids your body needs.
- Minerals: Iodine for thyroid function, selenium as an antioxidant, and iron and copper for oxygen transport and immune defences.
- Healthy fats: Oily fish provide omega‑3 fatty acids, linked to heart and brain health.
When the fish is genuinely fresh, you keep more of the texture, nutrients and flavour that justify the price tag.
Freshness also plays a role in food safety. The longer fish is stored at the wrong temperature, the higher the chance of spoilage bacteria building up, raising the risk of upset stomachs or worse.
Price, mercury and smart choices at the counter
For many households, the biggest barrier isn’t the smell of the fishmonger’s stall but the bill at the till. Luis is blunt about it: high price doesn’t always mean high freshness, and cheaper fish doesn’t automatically mean lower quality.
Tinned and frozen fish often retain much of their nutritional value. Quick freezing shortly after catch can even lock in texture and taste better than “fresh” fish that has travelled for days.
There’s also the question of contaminants like mercury. Health agencies advise pregnant women and young children to avoid large predatory species such as swordfish and big tuna, which accumulate more mercury in their flesh. For most other adults, eating a variety of species several times a week is still considered a net gain for health.
How Luis’s old craft meets new habits
In his family’s shop, Luis balances tradition with the realities of modern logistics. He deals with farmed fish, long supply chains and changing consumer habits, yet his criteria haven’t changed much from his great‑grandfather’s: clean handling, the right temperature, and ruthless selection.
What has changed is how he shares that knowledge. Short TikTok clips from behind the counter show him poking a fillet, lifting a gill, or comparing two pieces of the same species – one truly fresh, one already on the decline. Those side‑by‑side images help viewers train their eyes before they even hit the supermarket.
By the time customers stand at the counter, many already know which questions to ask – and what not to accept.
Putting the tips into practice on your next shop
Imagine a Saturday morning at your local supermarket. You want salmon for dinner, but you’re unsure if the fish on offer just looks good under the lights.
You ask the assistant if you can gently press the fillet through the paper or glove. It feels firm and springs back. The cut surface looks bright, moist and slightly translucent, not chalky. Next to it you notice another tray, where the salmon looks dull and has little gaps between the muscle fibres. You choose the first one and ask for a thicker cut from the centre, where the texture is usually most consistent.
That tiny, 30‑second check could mean the difference between a juicy, flaky dinner and a dry, slightly fishy disappointment.
Key terms shoppers often misunderstand
Fish counters and labels are full of jargon that can confuse even confident cooks. A few phrases are worth unpacking:
- “Fresh, never frozen”: Sounds appealing, but tells you nothing about how long the fish has been on ice.
- “Previously frozen”: Can still be excellent quality if it was frozen quickly after capture and handled correctly.
- “Day boat” or “line‑caught”: Often signals short trips and good handling, but freshness still needs to be checked with your eyes and hands.
Luis’s approach cuts through those labels. Regardless of what the tag says, he goes back to the same three pillars: texture, appearance and smell.
For anyone trying to eat better without wasting money, that simple routine – press, look, assess – offers a small but powerful layer of control. Whether your fish was landed in Catalonia or Cornwall, the signs of true freshness are remarkably similar, and once you learn them, they’re hard to unsee.