What Kind of Fish Is Herring? Why Canned Herring Smells So Bad and How Long It Keeps

In recent years, a traditional Swedish food——canned herring——has become an “internet sensation”, well known for its distinctive smell. So do you know what kind of fish herring is? Why does canned herring smell so bad, and why do people still eat it? How long is the shelf life of the canned product?

1. What Kind of Fish Is Herring?

1. Introduction

Herring is also called qingyu, and it includes small fish such as sardines and qingyu. Herring is a seasonal fish and is found in coastal waters throughout China.

2. Appearance

The body is laterally compressed, 20-40 cm long, with a relatively small head, large eyes, a large mouth and long gill slits. Its body color is blue-green, the dorsal and anal fins are fairly symmetrical, the caudal peduncle is relatively thin, and the caudal fin is wedge-shaped. Many herring have no teeth, or their teeth are small and weak.

2. Fishing

In China, herring is mainly caught in Qingdao and Yantai in Shandong and in Dalian, Liaoning, with the fishing season mainly concentrated in October-November.

2. Why Does Canned Herring Smell So Bad, and Why Do People Still Eat It?

1. How Bad Canned Herring Smells

Canned herring is the smelliest food in the world. People who have never eaten pickled herring often cover their noses because of its pungent stench. For this reason, the Swedish government has also stipulated that opening cans of herring is not allowed in residential areas, because the smell of herring is truly hard to dispel.

2. The Reason

What makes pickled herring unique is natural fermentation. To keep the herring from rotting and spoiling during fermentation, makers always place freshly caught herring in lightly salted water, boil it over a gentle fire, then pack it into cans and finally let it ferment naturally. The fermented herring becomes viscous and juicy and smells unpleasant.

3. Why People Still Eat It

Tradition: on the third Thursday of August every year, people in Sweden hold a party especially to taste herring. It is said that this is when pickled herring tastes best.

Novelty seeking: some people have a curiosity about the “notorious” canned herring and always want to know just how smelly it is, so there is never a shortage of people willing to try it.

3. How Long Is the Shelf Life of Canned Herring?

The shelf life of canned herring is generally three to five years. Although the smell of the canned product is unpleasant, eating it within the shelf life generally poses no problem.

However, a reminder here: if you must eat it, it is best to do so in an open area, and any vomit must be cleaned up thoroughly.