Signs of Spoiled Meat

Reader Contribution by Amanda Sorell
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Photo by Fotolia/grinchh

Is smell a reliable way to know whether the meat in my refrigerator is rotten meat? What other signs of spoiled meat should I look for, and what role does ensuring the proper cooking temperature play in killing meat spoilage bacteria?

While a change in odor may be one symptom of spoiled meat, it’s not the only sign you should rely on. If your meat smells unpleasantly pungent, you’re right to toss it, but even if its scent is normal, the meat could still be spoiled. With proper cooking, however, some “rotten” meat may not make you sick — but whether you should eat it is another question.

Meat is a veritable playground for bacteria and fungi and can pose a food safety concern if not properly handled. According to Marianne Gravely at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, two different types of bacteria affect meat: pathogenic bacteria, the kind that can cause food poisoning, and spoilage bacteria, the kind that can grow even at cold temperatures, and cause foods to deteriorate and develop unpleasant odors, tastes and textures. If spoilage bacteria contaminates your meat, your nose will likely know — and you’ll probably prefer not to eat the meat. Pathogenic bacteria, however, can grow rapidly in the “danger zone” — the temperature range between 40 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit — and your senses won’t be able to detect their presence, Gravely says. If you’re concerned your meat may pose a food safety concern, you must weigh several other factors in determining whether to eat it, and you must properly handle and cook it.

First, consider how long the meat has been in your fridge, noting that temperatures below 40 degrees slow bacterial growth, but don’t halt it completely. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, fully thawed, raw meat will remain safe to eat when stored in the refrigerator for the following time limits: Raw ground meats, poultry and seafood will keep for one to two days; raw roasts, steaks and chops will store for three to five days; and cooked meat, poultry and seafood will be good for three to four days. All meat will remain safe almost indefinitely and retain its flavor up to a year if in the freezer. Meat you have ground fresh at the butcher or that you grind yourself from whole cuts will be less likely to be contaminated with E. coli than vacuum-packed meats shipped to a grocery store from a large packer who combines scraps from many animal carcasses.

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