Mackerel Mackerel is a common name applied to a number of different species of pelagic fish, mostly from the family Scombridae. They are found in both temperate and tropical seas, mostly living along the coast or offshore in the oceanic environment. ...

is an important

food fish Many species of fish are caught by humans and consumed as food in virtually all regions around the world. Their meat has been an important dietary source of protein and other nutrients in the human diet. The English language does not have a s ...

that is consumed worldwide. As an

oily fish Oily fish are fish species with fish oil, oil (fats) in soft tissues and in the coelomic cavity around the Gut (zoology), gut. Their fillet (cut), fillets may contain up to 30% oil, although this figure varies both within and between species. ...

, it is a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids. The flesh of mackerel spoils quickly, especially in the tropics, and can cause scombroid food poisoning. Accordingly, it should be eaten on the day of capture, unless properly refrigerated or cured.

Preservation

Mackerel preservation is not simple. Before the 19th-century development of

canning Canning is a method of food preservation in which food is processed and sealed in an airtight container (jars like Mason jars, and steel and tin cans). Canning provides a shelf life that typically ranges from one to five years, although under ...

and the widespread availability of

refrigeration Refrigeration is any of various types of cooling of a space, substance, or system to lower and/or maintain its temperature below the ambient one (while the removed heat is ejected to a place of higher temperature).IIR International Dictionary of ...

, salting and

smoking Smoking is a practice in which a substance is combusted, and the resulting smoke is typically inhaled to be tasted and absorbed into the bloodstream of a person. Most commonly, the substance used is the dried leaves of the tobacco plant, whi ...

were the principal preservation methods available. Historically in England, this fish was not preserved, but was consumed only in its fresh form. However, spoilage was common, leading the authors of ''The Cambridge Economic History of Europe'' to remark: "There are more references to stinking mackerel in English literature than to any other fish!" In France, mackerel was traditionally pickled with large amounts of salt, which allowed it to be sold widely across the country.Clapham JH, Postan MM and Rich EE (1941
''The Cambridge economic history of Europe''
CUP Archive, pp. 166–168. . In Japan, mackerel is called ''saba'', and is commonly cured with salt and vinegar to make a type of

sushi is a traditional Japanese dish made with , typically seasoned with sugar and salt, and combined with a variety of , such as seafood, vegetables, or meat: raw seafood is the most common, although some may be cooked. While sushi comes in n ...

known as ''saba-zushi''. Historically, ''saba-zushi'' originated in

Kyoto Kyoto ( or ; Japanese language, Japanese: , ''Kyōto'' ), officially , is the capital city of Kyoto Prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan's largest and most populous island of Honshu. , the city had a population of 1.46 million, making it t ...

as a solution for transporting mackerel to the inland city, which otherwise would not have made the journey from the coast still fresh. The road linking Obama bay and Kyoto is now also called "mackerel road" (''saba-kaido'').

Popularity

For many years, mackerel was regarded as unclean in the UK and elsewhere due to folklore which suggested that the fish fed on the corpses of dead sailors. A 1976 survey of housewives in Britain undertaken by the White Fish Authority indicated a reluctance to departing from buying the traditional staples of

cod Cod (: cod) is the common name for the demersal fish genus ''Gadus'', belonging to the family (biology), family Gadidae. Cod is also used as part of the common name for a number of other fish species, and one species that belongs to genus ''Gad ...

haddock The haddock (''Melanogrammus aeglefinus'') is a saltwater ray-finned fish from the Family (biology), family Gadidae, the true cods. It is the only species in the Monotypy, monotypic genus ''Melanogrammus''. It is found in the North Atlantic Oce ...

salmon Salmon (; : salmon) are any of several list of commercially important fish species, commercially important species of euryhaline ray-finned fish from the genera ''Salmo'' and ''Oncorhynchus'' of the family (biology), family Salmonidae, native ...

. Less than 10% of the survey's 1,931 respondents had ever bought mackerel and only 3% did so regularly. As a result of this trend many UK

fishmonger A fishmonger (historically fishwife for female practitioners) is someone who sells raw fish and seafood. Fishmongers can be wholesalers or retailers and are trained at selecting and purchasing, handling, gutting, boning, filleting, displaying, ...

s during the 1970s did not display or even stock mackerel.

Mercury

There is a large variation in the mercury levels found in mackerel. These levels differ markedly for different species, and even for the same species in different locations; however, the strongest positive correlation seems to be connected to the species' size (the larger species being higher on the food chain). According to the

United States Food and Drug Administration The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA or US FDA) is a List of United States federal agencies, federal agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Health and Human Services. The FDA is respo ...

, king mackerel is one of four fishes, along with

swordfish The swordfish (''Xiphias gladius''), also known as the broadbill in some countries, are large, highly migratory predatory fish characterized by a long, flat, pointed bill. They are the sole member of the Family (biology), family Xiphiidae. They ...

shark Sharks are a group of elasmobranch cartilaginous fish characterized by a ribless endoskeleton, dermal denticles, five to seven gill slits on each side, and pectoral fins that are not fused to the head. Modern sharks are classified within the ...

, and

tilefish file:Malacanthus latovittatus.jpg, 250px, Blue blanquillo, ''Malacanthus latovittatus'' Tilefishes are mostly small perciform marine fish comprising the family (biology), family Malacanthidae. They are usually found in sandy areas, especially n ...

, that children and pregnant women should avoid due to high levels of

methylmercury Methylmercury is an organometallic cation with the formula . It is the simplest organomercury compound. Methylmercury is extremely toxic, and its derivatives are the major source of organic mercury for humans. It is a bioaccumulative environment ...

found in these fish and the consequent risk of

mercury poisoning Mercury poisoning is a type of metal poisoning due to exposure to mercury. Symptoms depend upon the type, dose, method, and duration of exposure. They may include muscle weakness, poor coordination, numbness in the hands and feet, skin rashe ...

Gallery

File:Mackerel fish fry - Kolkata - West Bengal - 1.jpg, Indian mackerel deep-fried with salt and turmeric in mustard oil File:Ayala Meen Curry by Preeti Tamilarasan.jpg, Indian mackerel

curry Curry is a dish with a sauce or gravy seasoned with spices, mainly derived from the interchange of Indian cuisine with European taste in food, starting with the Portuguese, followed by the Dutch and British, and then thoroughly internatio ...

File:Flickr - cyclonebill - Rugbrød med røget pebermakrel.jpg, Danish mackerel on rye bread File:Auer Dult Jakobidult 2018 6129.jpg, German grilled mackerel at

Auer Dult The Auer Dult is a traditional travelling funfair, fair in Munich, combining a marketplace, market and a German style Volksfest, folk festival. It takes place three times per year on the Mariahilfplatz in the Munich district of Au, fuelled by ar ...

File:Escabeche de Caballa-10.jpg, Spanish mackerel '' escabeche'' File:Kaeng som plathu thot.jpg, Thai mackerel '' kaeng som'' File:Sabazushi Hanaore.jpg, Japanese mackerel

File:Saba don by LWY in Fukuoka.jpg, Japanese mackerel '' donburi'' File:Oyaji lunch (31297933477).jpg, Japanese '' teishoku'' meal with grilled mackerel and

miso soup is a traditional Japan, Japanese soup consisting of miso paste mixed with a ''dashi'' Stock (food), stock. It is commonly served as part of an meal, meaning "one soup, three dishes," a traditional Japanese meal structure that includes rice, sou ...

References

Citations

Sources

* Keay JN (2001
Handling and processing mackerel
Torry advisory note 66.

External links

Mackerel nutrition facts
{{mackerel Scombridae Mackerels Oily fish Commercial fish Types of food