Trust your nose on tuna.

Smell it first. Fresh tuna should smell clean and faintly like the ocean, not like “fish” or ammonia. If it hits you as fishy or off, it’s already past its prime.

Color is less reliable than smell but still useful. Good tuna is deep red to almost maroon — bright, uniform, no brown edges or grey patches. If it looks dull, brown, or greenish, skip it. Touch it too: the flesh should feel firm and spring back, not mushy or slimy. Slimy is a dead giveaway.

Don’t overthink it. If your gut says no, it’s probably right.