Theres nothing like a long marinated, slow-roasted pork shoulder finally out of the oven with fall-off-the-bone tenderness. One simple pleasure in life is bacon that has been smoked twice and then browned in a hot pan with a little olive oil and the bacon’s own fat. However, theres nothing like food poisoning to ruin a great meal.
Most people agree that eating uncooked pork can make you sick because it contains bacteria like Trichinella spiralis, salmonella, and Listeria. These parasites can cause stomach pain, trouble digesting food, and flu-like symptoms like tiredness, soreness, and general discomfort.
Microscopic tapeworms cause Trichinella spiralis infections that are very bad. These tapeworms can start digging anywhere from one day to a week after a meal. Although treatable, trichinosis could be an eight-week ordeal before you start feeling like yourself. Trichinosis isn’t as big of a problem in the Global North because of modern farming methods, but it still kills about 28,000 people a year. As dangerous as raw pork can be, it’s just as easy for cooked pork to be bad for you.
When people defrost meat, one of the biggest mistakes they make is thinking it’s safe to eat before they know how long the meat really lasts in the fridge. Here is a list of surefire ways to tell if your pork has gone bad before, during, and after cooking it to save you the trouble.
Pork is a versatile meat used in many beloved dishes, but it can spoil quickly if not stored and handled properly. One of the first signs of spoiled pork is an off or unpleasant smell. But what exactly does pork smell like when it has gone bad?
Typical Smell of Fresh Pork
Fresh unspoiled pork should have a mild smell or no odor at all. Some describe good pork as having a clean “meaty” aroma. If the pork is vacuum sealed it may have a slightly acidic or fermented scent from the packaging process, which is normal.
Ground pork, pork chops, tenderloins, ribs, roast, and ham should not have any strong or unpleasant smells if they are fresh. Off-odors indicate the pork has started to go bad.
How Spoiled Pork Smells
Once pork has spoiled, it gives off a bad odor. The scent is due to bacteria growth and the pork tissues breaking down. Here are some of the common descriptions of how bad pork smells:
- Rotten, putrid odor
- Sour or acidic smell
- Old meat smell
- Ammonia-like
The sourness or acidity comes from lactic acid created by the bacteria. A putrid stench means the meat has really turned and become inedible.
An ammonia scent happens as amino acids in the pork break down into chemicals like cadaverine and putrescine. This very unappealing odor is hard to miss once the pork has gone off.
Why the Scent Changes
Pork contains bacteria that multiply very quickly at room or fridge temperatures. The bacteria produce gases and chemicals that change the smell of the pork. Here are some of the bacteria responsible:
Salmonella – This common food poisoning bacteria creates a stinky sulfur odor and blackens the pork.
E. Coli – The stench from E. coli is described as latrine-like or similar to garbage.
Listeria – Listeria doesn’t have a particular smell, but can lead to a decayed or “off” odor.
Yersinia enterocolitica – This bacteria produces a sour and stinky smell from the acids it releases.
In addition to bacteria, oxidation and rotting processes chemically change the pork’s odor. The stench intensifies the longer the pork sits out.
Trusting Your Nose
Relying on your sense of smell is one of the best ways to catch spoiled pork before eating it. Even color signs like grey meat or sliminess can still have a normal aroma. But if it smells off, it most likely has gone bad.
An odd or unpleasant pork smell means the meat’s proteins and fats are breaking down. The stench signifies potentially dangerous pathogenic bacteria may be growing.
Don’t risk eating pork that smells rotten, rancid, or odd. The harmful bacteria can survive cooking temperatures and lead to illnesses. It’s better to be safe than sorry and throw away smelly pork.
How to Avoid Spoilage
To help pork stay fresh and stink-free, store it properly:
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Refrigerate below 40°F
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Freeze for longer storage
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Wrap tightly or seal in air-tight packaging
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Use within 4 days of refrigeration
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Don’t freeze pork that’s about to expire
Follow safe handling procedures like washing hands, surfaces, and utensils after contact with raw pork. Separate pork from ready-to-eat foods. Cook pork thoroughly to recommended safe internal temperatures.
With proper storage, handling, and cooking, pork can stay smelling and tasting delicious. But if you notice any off or questionable odors, it’s safest to discard the pork. Trust your nose to determine if pork has gone bad – weird smells mean it’s not worth the risk.
It’s past its expiry date
That notice on your pork that says “expiration date” isn’t just there for looks or as a suggestion. Its your first real clue as to whether your meat is spoiled. The pork’s sell-by or expiration date, which is usually three to five days after you buy it, should be a good sign for your grocery store to take something off the shelves. However, these things do get missed sometimes.
Also, do not mix up the “sell-by” date with the “use-by” date. The “use-by” date tells you when to freeze your pork for later use if you are not going to eat it that day. While you can’t change the sell-by date, you can be more flexible with the use-by date when it comes to when you can eat your pork. You should be able to add one or two days to the use-by date for fresh pork as long as the temperature inside the fridge is 40 degrees Fahrenheit or less.
Freezing your pork is also another way to prolong the shelf life of your pork. Subzero temperatures can keep your meat edible for an indefinite period, but according to the USDA, four to six months is your best window to preserve your porks quality. Remember, its not just about how long you can save your pork chops without them rotting. You should also be mindful of how long they can be kept in the freezer while still retaining their flavor and juiciness.
Puffy packaging can be a bad sign when it comes to pork or, really, any type of meat. When your food packaging is bloated, it can mean that bacteria has entered the chat and your pork. Sometimes, there can be more benign reasons for this bloating, however. Higher elevations can cause packaging to swell because of the difference in air pressure between inside and outside the package. Modified atmosphere packaging, or MAP, uses a mix of gases to make the meat last longer. This can also cause packaging to swell without contaminating it.
Outside of the aforementioned reasons, however, inflated packaging is a sign of bacteria multiplying inside, as it is a release of carbon dioxide created by the microbial contamination. According to Food Safety Magazine, the three main types of bacteria causing puffy packaging are coliforms, lactic acid, and yeast. Coliform bacteria are typically caused by unsanitary abattoirs or meat-packing plants and live in the gastrointestinal tracts of pigs. Heat resistant but highly susceptible to cold, refrigeration usually gets rid of coliforms. On the other hand, lactic acid bacteria can actually multiply in the cold, so refrigeration at the grocery store or at home wont have much of an effect on the contamination level. Also, yeast microbes can form through airborne transmission, survive cold temperatures, and actually create so much gas that they can pop plastic packaging.
How To Tell If Pork Has Gone Bad
FAQ
Can I eat pork 7 days after the sell-by date?
Is pork bad if it smells a little?
What does pork smell like when it goes bad?
When pork meat goes bad, it smells rancid, sour, rotten, and generally has an unpleasant odor. Trust me, you cannot miss it! That’s one “great” thing about the spoiling signs of this meat. Unlike many others, the smell gives away the freshness almost instantly!
What does bad pork taste like?
Spoiled pork may have a sour smell and a slimy texture. The coloring of the pork may be grey or green. If you notice any of these signs, it’s best to discard the pork immediately. Eating bad pork is not safe. Cooking it will not make it safe and will only increase the unpleasant smell and taste.
Do spoiled pork chops smell bad?
So, if you are ever unsure and the meat smells kind of funky, it is best to toss it rather than risking to eat bad pork. The signs for spoiled pork chops are pretty much the same as for all spoiled pork cuts. When the chops start going off, a sour, rancid smell sour odor will form on the meat.
How do you know if pork is spoiled?
Smell: The first and most obvious sign is a foul smell. If it has a sour or ammonia-like odor, it’s spoiled and should be discarded. Color: Fresh pork should be pink or light red in color. If it has turned gray or brown, it’s past its prime. Texture: Good pork should be firm to the touch and not slimy or sticky.