Question

What precautions should I take when comparing Fish Freshness Meter results with laboratory analysis?

Answer

This is a very important question, and great care should be taken to ensure rigorous attention to detail. When you know that the measurements made by the Freshness Meter are going to be compared to some form of Laboratory Analysis, always ensure a rigorous preparation procedure.  Otherwise you may get a different result from the laboratory and this will create confusion and doubt.

The preparation instructions are clearly described in the Freshness Meter Handbook, but for the avoidance of doubt we have given a brief description here, as follows:

Place the sensor head fully in contact with the sample, being careful to exclude any air cavities. Press and hold the ‘READ’ button until the reading has been taken and is displayed on screen.

It is important to be consistent by placing the sensor in the same location each time.  This will ensure consistent and comparable results day-to-day…month-to-month. It is normal for the Freshness Meter to give a different value at different measurement sites on the same fish.  Different parts of the fish will spoil at different rates due to the bacteria levels, fat content, muscle structure, and cell disruption within the fish.