Content

• Steps
• Method 1 of 4: Identify tainted red meat
• Method 2 of 4: Check for spoiled poultry
• Method 3 of 4: Identify tainted seafood
• Method 4 of 4: Prevent spoilage of meat
• Tips
• Warnings

Red meat, poultry and seafood show different signs of spoilage.Depending on the type of meat, you may need to pay attention to unpleasant odors, examine the color and texture, and take preventive measures so that the food does not spoil prematurely. If you are not sure if the meat is spoiled or not, it is better not to risk it and throw it away. Knowing (and noticing) the signs of spoiled foods can help you eat and cook meat without harming your health!

Steps

Method 1 of 4: Identify tainted red meat

1. 1 Look for expiration dates on meat packaging. The shelf life of red meat is approximately 1-3 days if raw and 7-10 days if cooked. Throw away any expired meat to avoid food poisoning.
2. 2 Check the meat for unpleasant odors. If the meat gives off a rotten smell, it is most likely spoiled. Spoiled red meat has a pungent, pungent "flavor." Throw away the meat if it smells bad, and especially if it is past its expiration date.
   • Do not bring meat to your nose (and even more so, do not press it against it) when you want to smell it. Instead, place your hand on the meat and then bring it up to your face to smell it.
3. 3 Throw away red meat that has been in the refrigerator for more than 5 days. The length of time the meat is stored in the refrigerator depends on whether it is minced or sliced. The minced meat can be left in the refrigerator for another 1-2 days after the expiration date. Chopped meats, steaks and grilled meats can be stored for 3-5 days.
   • Frozen meat has a longer shelf life. If the meat has been in the refrigerator for several days and you do not plan to cook it, freeze it to prevent spoilage.
4. 4 Don't eat red meat with a greenish tinge. It is generally unsafe to eat meat that turns green or greenish brown, but if it just starts to darken (no greenish tinge) it doesn’t necessarily mean it is spoiling. You can usually tell that the meat is spoiled if there is a rainbow film on it. This is a sign that the bacteria have broken down the fats in the meat.
   • When in doubt about the color of the meat, throw it away.
5. 5 Check the texture of the meat. Spoiled red meat is sticky to the touch. If you feel a slimy film on the meat, throw it away. This often means that bacteria have begun to multiply on the product.

Method 2 of 4: Check for spoiled poultry

1. 1 Pay attention to the strong rotten smell. Fresh poultry meat should not have any perceptible odor. If it gives off a harsh, unpleasant "odor", throw it away and wash the refrigerator or freezer. The smell of raw poultry often lingers in the storage area if not thoroughly washed.
   • Baking soda is an effective cleaning agent for removing unpleasant odors.
2. 2 Do not eat poultry meat that is greyish in color. Fresh raw poultry should be pinkish while cooked poultry should be white. Poultry with a grayish tint is most likely spoiled. Do not buy or eat chicken if it looks dull and colorless.
   • To get a sense of how fresh the meat was served at a restaurant, remove any icing or breading and inspect it.
3. 3 Touch raw poultry meat to check its texture. Although raw poultry meat may have a thin, watery film, it should not have a slimy coating. If the poultry is sticky or too viscous, discard it.
   • Wash your hands after handling raw poultry, whether you consider it spoiled or not.
4. 4 Look for mold on cooked poultry. In addition to all of the above, cooked but stale poultry meat can grow moldy if spoiled. Do not try to remove mold or eat mold-free parts if you notice mold on cooked poultry. Throw everything away to avoid food poisoning.

Method 3 of 4: Identify tainted seafood

1. 1 Avoid fishy-smelling seafood. Contrary to popular belief, fresh seafood shouldn't smell like fish. They may smell like the sea, but they shouldn't give off a strong or pungent odor. Trust your sense of smell - if the seafood smells bad, throw it away.
   • Smell fresh seafood while in the supermarket to compare the smells.
2. 2 Inspect seafood for freshness. Seafood should have a shiny skin, as if it had just been taken out of the water. If the seafood is dry, it is most likely spoiled. If they have eyes and / or gills, then the eyes should be clear (not cloudy) and the gills should be reddish rather than purple or brown.
   • Avoid fish with flaky scales.
3. 3 Do not eat fish meat that is milky in color. Fresh fish meat is usually white, red or pinkish with a thin watery film. If the meat is bluish or grayish in color and a thick liquid drips from it, most likely the fish has deteriorated.
4. 4 Check out live seafood before you cook it. Seafood that needs to be eaten alive, such as shellfish, often spoils when it dies. Tap live clams, oysters, and mussels lightly to make sure their shell closes when touched. Before cooking crabs or lobsters, pay attention to whether they are moving their legs.
   • Do not eat shellfish that have died a few hours before cooking.

Method 4 of 4: Prevent spoilage of meat

1. 1 Do not defrost meat on the kitchen counter. Meat left outside the refrigerator or freezer for a long period of time runs the risk of spoiling. Leaving meat at room temperature for long periods of time increases the chances of it spoiling. It is better to defrost meat in the microwave for a faster and safer way.
   • Thawing frozen meat in the refrigerator is a safe alternative to the kitchen counter.
2. 2 Store meat at a safe temperature. Meat should be refrigerated at 4 ° C. If you have stored it at a higher temperature, it will most likely deteriorate. Throw away food that has been at room temperature for a long time.
3. 3 Freeze the meat if you are not going to eat it soon. Although meat can only be stored in the refrigerator for a few days, it can remain in the freezer for months. To extend the shelf life of meat, place it in an airtight container and freeze it until you want to eat it.
   • Frozen meat can get frosty burns, which, while not dangerous, often give an unpleasant taste.
4. 4 Do not eat meat that is past its expiration date or that has not been refrigerated. Even if the meat does not look spoiled, it can still be contaminated with harmful bacteria. Do not eat meat that has been in the kitchen for too long or is past its expiration date.
5. 5 Check the internal temperature of the meat during cooking. Since not all foodborne bacteria are detectable, cooking meat at the correct temperature is key to keeping you from food poisoning. The ideal temperature for cooking red meat is 50–75 ° C (depending on thickness). Cook poultry at 75 ° C. Seafood is safe to cook at 65 ° C.
   • Some seafood, such as sushi, is eaten raw. In this case, follow the cooking instructions carefully and discard the meat if you notice signs that it is spoiling.

Tips

• Always wash your hands before and after handling raw meat.
• Do not eat meat if the seal is damaged or if liquid seeps out.
• If you suspect that the meat has gone bad, do not swallow it. Return spoiled meat if it was served to you at a restaurant.

Warnings

• Don't try suspicious meats to see if it's spoiled or not. You can get food poisoning if even a small amount of spoiled food gets into your stomach.