To assess the quality of fresh fish and seafood, there are a few simple things to look for: Fresh whole fish should have bright, clear eyes; skin should be shiny, firm and elastic to the touch, gills should be red not brown, and if gutted, the cavity should be clean.o assess the quality of fresh fish and seafood, there are a few simple things to look for: Fresh whole fish should have bright, clear eyes; skin should be shiny, firm and elastic to the touch, gills should be red not brown, and if gutted, the cavity should be clean.
Drying oil. A drying oil is an oil that hardens to a tough, solid film after a period of exposure to air. The oil hardens through a chemical reaction in which the components crosslink (and hence, polymerize) by the action of oxygen (not through the evaporation of water or other solvents). Drying oils are a key component of oil paint and some varnishes.
Drying oils will change from liquid to a solid film when exposed to oxygen in the air. Nut oils (boiled linseed, tung, etc.) are drying oils, but vegetable (peanut, olive) and mineral oils are non-drying. Edible mineral oil is popular on food contact items, like cutting boards. However, non-drying oils stay wet indefinitely, and they will wash off when the board is scrubbed with soap and water. Because they do not dry to a solid film, non-drying oils are considered a wood treatment, but not a finish.