# Council Regulation(EC) No 2406/96 of 26 November 1996 laying down common marketing standards for certain fishery products, Division B: BLUEFISH

Extent: E+W+S+N.I.

. . .
. . .
Or in a more advanced state of decay.
Iced fish goes rancid before stale, CSW/RSW fish goes stale before rancid.
Criteria
Freshness category
Not admitted
Extra
A
B
Skin
Bright pigmentation, bright, shining iridescent colours; clear distinction between dorsal and central surfaces
Loss of lustre and shine; duller colours; less difference between dorsal and ventral surfaces
Dull, lustreless, insipid colours; skin creased when fish curved
Very dull pigmentation; skin coming away from flesh
Skin mucus
Aqueous, transparent
Slightly cloudy
Milky
Yellowish grey, opaque mucus
Consistency of flesh
Very firm, rigid
Fairly rigid, firm
Slightly soft
Soft (flaccid)
Gill covers
Silvery
Silvery, slightly red or brown
Brownish and extensive seepage of blood from vessels
Yellowish
Eye
Convex, bulging; blue-black bright pupil, transparent ‘eyelid’
Convex and slightly sunken; dark pupil; slightly opalescent cornea
Flat; blurred pupil; blood seepage around the eye
Concave in the centre; grey pupil; milky cornea
Gills
Uniformly dark red to purple. No mucus
Less bright colour, paler at edges. Transparent mucus
Becoming thick discoloured opaque mucus
Yellowish; milky mucus
Smell of gills
Fresh seaweed; pungent; iodine
No smell or seaweed. Neutral smell
Slightly sulphureous fatty smell, rancid bacon cuttings or rotten fruit
Rotten sour

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Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/eur/1996/2406/annex/I/division/7 (the official version)
Page: https://openlegislation.uk/eu-regulation-1996-2406/annex-I/division-7
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.