July 16 - Delicious Food Day

      On July 16th each year, gourmets in some countries celebrate an unusual gastronomic holiday—Good Food Day. Nutrition is one of the main essential conditions for human existence. Food is a source of energy, influences health, performance, mood, and lifespan. Let's talk about what is indispensable for it—good products. How to choose them? What should be the first thing to pay attention to?

      1. How to choose good meat

      The most reliable way to determine the freshness of meat is to press it with the pad of your finger. If the surface quickly returns to its original shape afterward, the meat is fresh.

      Fresh meat feels slightly moist and smooth to the touch. If you make a small cut and press on it, a transparent scarlet juice should ooze out. Moldy meat produces cloudy juice, and its surface may be dry or excessively moist and sticky.

      The color of meat can range from light red to dark burgundy, depending on the animal's age. But fresh meat shouldn't have large dark spots—they appear when the product has been stored at room temperature for more than 24 hours. Dark streaks can be present on the surface of the meat. They often form due to iodine excretion from the fibers—that's not harmful.

      High-quality chicken breast meat has a pleasant, tender pink color. Long-stored meat loses moisture, turns dark pink, and spoiled meat becomes gray, covered with mucus. Thigh and drumstick meat, unlike breast meat, has a more intense, bright pink color, and in domestic poultry—even red.

      2. How to choose quality fish

      It is best to buy fish from specialized stores equipped with refrigeration, display cases, and where conditions are available for selecting the product, with all necessary information about the seller and manufacturer.

      Before purchasing, it’s better to smell the fish. Surprisingly, fresh fish doesn't have a fishy smell. However, it may smell like the water body (sea, river, or even algae). If you smell a sharp, unpleasant odor (e.g., ammonia), it's better to decline the purchase.

      The carcass should be firm, uniform, without excess mucus, dark spots, or unusual coloration for that fish species. A good indicator that the fish is spoiled is the presence of greenish spots on the belly. Pay particular attention to the gills. Fresh fish should have bright red gills. Gray, blackened gills combined with an unpleasant smell indicate a poor-quality product. Fresh fish have clear, transparent, and convex eyes. If the eyes are "shrunk" or "sunken," the fish has been sitting on the shelf longer than it should.

      3. What to pay attention to when choosing vegetables and fruits

      Prefer seasonal vegetables. They should be without damage, have a uniform color, and characteristic hue. When selecting vegetables, carefully examine the product—if it’s moldy or rotten, refuse the purchase. There can be a toxin called botulinum developing in such produce, which negatively affects the hematopoietic system, liver, and kidneys. If the product is packaged, ensure the packaging is intact and free of condensation inside. It’s advisable to consume fruits of domestic origin that haven't undergone long transportation. Long storage negatively impacts vitamin content in fruits, and they are often additionally processed.

      4. How to choose quality eggs

      Do not buy eggs with dirty or damaged shells. Store eggs in the refrigerator to prevent the growth of pathogenic microorganisms. Before cooking, be sure to wash eggs thoroughly. Keep eggs with the pointed end down to keep the yolk centered and from touching the air pocket filling the blunt end. This position helps them store better. The shelf life for dietary eggs (marked with the letter D on the shell) is up to 7 days; for table eggs (marked with S), 8 to 25 days. Remember, the date on the stamp indicates the sorting date, not the production date.

      5. What to consider when choosing vegetable oil

      When buying vegetable oil, carefully examine the label to learn about the oil extraction method: cold-pressed (first cold extraction) retains the maximum beneficial substances, but shelf life is limited. Repeated pressing reduces the amount of nutrients. Therefore, first cold-pressed oil is the most beneficial.

      6. How to choose tasty cottage cheese

      The quality, taste, color, and smell of cottage cheese directly depend on the production technology, fat content, and the use of fillers and additives. Good quality cottage cheese is always white with a creamy hue, has a slightly sour smell, and a soft, delicate, uniform consistency. In low-fat versions, whey may be slightly visible, but only in small amounts. Check how the manufacturer labeled their product: cottage cheese (which should only contain milk and rennet) or a milk-containing product with fat substitutes made following cottage cheese technology. Such products are usually cheaper and have different consumer properties compared to true cottage cheese.

      7. How to tell if berries are ripe and sweet

      Pay attention to the intensity and evenness of coloring—the berry should have bright, uniform color. For example, red strawberries are likely to be sour if their tips are slightly green and the base is white. It’s better to buy berries in containers made of natural materials (cardboard or wood shavings). The container should allow air to circulate, for example, through perforations on the lid.

      Before purchasing, shake the box. Berries should move freely inside. If the berries are stuck together, refuse the purchase—this indicates mold. After buying, it’s best to eat the berries as soon as possible, as they last only a couple of days. Also, remember to wash berries thoroughly before eating.

      Territorial Department of Rospotrebnadzor of the Nizhny Novgorod Region in the urban districts of Semenov, Varnavinsky, Voskresensky, and Krasnobakovsky.