Bacon is a household favorite, so it’s important to learn how to know if bacon is bad. Bacon is one of the most delicious food on the planet! But you need to identify signs of spoilage to enjoy the tastiest bacon. In today’s post, I will teach you how to know if bacon is bad when cooking. Bacon remains an important choice in the American diet. Just like any other food, bacon is also susceptible to spillage. There are several easy ways to check whether your bacon is good or has gone bad. You can keep on reading to know more about how to know if bacon is bad.
How To Know If Bacon Is Bad?
You can learn how to know if bacon is bad by the following spoilage signs.
- Foul Smell
- Change in Texture
- Becomes Modly
- Its Color Changes
- Check the Expiry Date
Figuring out whether your bacon is fresh is very simple. It is important to pay close attention to the smell, texture, and appearance of your bacon to determine if it’s still fresh. Continue to read if you want to learn how to know if your bacon is bad in more detail.
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Common Spoilage Signs To Know If Of Bacon Is Bad
There are many methods to check the condition of your bacon. In this section, I will help you understand how to know if bacon is bad or good in detail.
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Foul Smell
One of the fastest ways to determine spoiled bacon is the smell of bacon. Fresh bacon always gives a natural meaty smell. However, spoiled bacon often smells sour, fishy, or rotting. There are high chances that your bacon has started the deterioration process.
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Change In Texture
If you are not convinced by the smell, you can touch your bacon to feel its texture. Fresh bacon always feels soft, fresh, and moist. If you feel like there is a slimy or sticky layer around the outside, it is spoiled. You must immediately dispose of spoiled bacon before it contaminated other meat products.
You can keep on reading to know how to tell if cooked bacon is bad.
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Becomes Modly
You can easily spot bacteria, yeast, and fungi with your naked eye. Simply have a close look at the surface of the bacon to check whether it is moldy. It clearly indicates that your bacon has been spoiled by bacterial growth. However, there is a good chance that fungi may exist throughout the bacon even if you can’t see them.
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Its Color Changes
Discoloration is the fourth spoilage sign that you must look out for in your bacon. Usually, bacon is fresh and good if it still has its natural pink color with the fat being white or yellow. Check whether there are any spots of brown, gray, or green. This discoloration indicates that bacteria or fungi have attacked your bacon.
Keep on reading further to know more about how to know if bacon is bad.
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Check the Expiry Date
Bacon is unsafe to use if the “use by” date has expired. Make sure you don’t get confused between the sell-by and use-by dates. You must always use bacon within seven days of purchase or by the use-by date listed by the manufacturer. Just remember that if a week has passed since the sell-by date, you must throw away the packet immediately.
Now, you must be wondering how to know if turkey bacon is bad. When your turkey bacon has a bad smell to it, is turning brown/grey, or feels slimy, it has gone bad. You must quickly dispose of it.
Tips To Properly Store Bacon
By far, I hope you have understood how to know if bacon is bad. It is very important to store your bacon to extend its shelf life. You can consider the following tips to store them properly.
- You must always store cooked and uncooked bacon in the refrigerator or freezer.
- Make sure your bacon is stored in a sealed storage container.
- Squeeze out excess air if you are storing it in a plastic bag and then seal it.
- Always check the sell-by and use-by dates before buying it.
- You can wrap opened bacon with paper towels before storing them.
Apart from this, you must check your bacon regularly. If you do not store it properly, it will go bad in no time!
How Long Is Bacon Good For After Use By Date?
Bacon can remain good for about one week after the use-by date has passed. However, unopened bacon can last for one to two weeks in the refrigerator.
What Happens If You Eat Bad Bacon?
You may suffer from the following side effects if you eat bad bacon.
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Fever
- Chest pain
- Dehydration
What Does Bad Bacon Taste Like?
Bad, spoiled bacon will taste sour. This is due to large amounts of bacteria like Staphylococcus, Salmonella, Bacillus, Clostridium, and Escherichia coli.
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FAQ
Is Bacon OK To Eat If It’s Brown?
Your bacon is still safe if it still has it’s natural pink color with the fat being white or yellow. If your bacon has turned brown or gray with a tinge of green or blue, that one has spoiled already. Too much exposure to air causes a chemical reaction on the meat that leads to the change in color.
How Long Does A Bacon Last In The Fridge?
Information. You can keep bacon in the refrigerator at 40 ºF or below for one week. Bacon can also be frozen at 0 ºF for four months (for best quality). For more information about bacon and storage of other bacon products, go to Bacon and Food Safety.
What Happens If You Cook Bad Bacon?
The one mistake you don’t want to make is eating spoiled bacon, as like other delicious foods such as poultry and eggs, bad bacon can cause salmonella poisoning. So always make sure to examine your bacon carefully before cooking.
Is It Safe To Eat Expired Bacon?
If the “use by” date has expired, then that bacon is unsafe to use. Always use bacon within seven days of purchase (“sell by”) or by the “use by” date listed by the manufacturer. You can also safely thaw and cook the bacon within four months of freezing bacon.
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What Does Bad Bacon Smell Like?
Just like with any food, you should always take a sniff of your bacon before cooking or eating it. If it has a sour smell or an off-putting ammonia odor, it is spoiled. Even if the aroma is just slightly off, err on the side of caution and discard it.
Does Bacon Go Bad If Left In Fridge?
Leftover cooked bacon lasts 4 to 5 days in the fridge. It’s best to store it in an airtight container (we like glass containers because they don’t absorb odors). If you purchased a shelf-stable cooked bacon from the store, you can keep it unopened in the pantry until the use-by date.
Can You Eat Slightly Spoiled Bacon?
When spoiled, the signature red hue of your bacon may start to become dull and fade into a grey, brown, or greenish color. Spoiled bacon may also be slimy or sticky rather than soft and moist. Bacon that has a sour smell or rotting odor should also be thrown out, as this is another sign of spoilage.
Why Is My Bacon Slimy But Not Expired?
Good bacon is soft, fresh, and moist. Bad bacon feels slimy to the touch and has a sticky sheen around it. Lactic acid bacteria cause slime formation on meat. Disposal of spoiled bacon immediately before it contaminates your other meat products is best.
Conclusion
In the above post, I’ve discussed how to know if bacon is bad/not good. Consuming any bad meat can be dangerous to your health. When spoiled, your bacon may turn grey, brown, or greenish in color. Its outer layer may also be slimy or sticky rather than soft and moist. Spoiled bacon smells really unpleasant. It is best to dispose of bacon that is grey or brown but still smells fine. But with proper storage, you can help to maximize the shelf life and quality of your bacon. Once you understand how to know if bacon is bad, you can figure out if your bacon is spoiled!