How to Know if Meat Is Bad (& How to Prevent Spoilage)

A nice cut of steak, juicy chicken, or fresh seafood can make for a delicious meal. But before you whip up dinner, it’s important to check whether or not the meat has spoiled. Consuming bad or rotten meat is a big health risk, so we’ve put together lists of spoilage signs for red meat, poultry, and seafood to help you stay safe in the kitchen. Keep reading to learn how to tell if meat has gone bad.

Ways to Tell if Meat is Bad

Check the meat for a foul odor, discoloration, or mold, as these are the most obvious signs meat has gone bad. If it feels slimy or sticky, it’s probably time to throw it out. Always check the expiration date and toss expired meat to avoid food poisoning.

Section 1 of 5:

How can you tell if red meat is bad?

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Examine the meat’s package for an expiration date. The shelf life for red meat is approximately 1-3 days if it is raw and 7-10 days if it is cooked. Throw away any meat that has passed this expiration date to avoid food poisoning.^{[1]
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It’s been in your fridge for over 5 days. How long your meat lasts in the fridge depends on whether it is ground or cut. Ground meat can be left in the fridge for between 1-2 days past its sell-by date. Chopped meats, steaks, and roasts can last between 3-5 days.
- Meat can last longer if it is frozen. If your meat has been in the fridge for a few days and you have no plans to use it, freeze it to avoid spoilage.^{[2]
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It has a rancid, foul smell. As executive chef Abyssinia Campbell says, “If [meat] smells off, it’s most likely not good.” Spoiled red meat has a distinct, pungent ammonia scent. Throw your meat away if it has a bad odor, especially if the meat's expiration date has passed.^{[3]
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- Do not press your nose against or near the meat to smell it. Instead, cup your hand near the meat and move the hand towards your face to get a whiff of the meat.
If you feel a slimy, wet coating over the meat, throw it away. This often means that bacteria have started to multiply on the meat.^{[4]
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Cleveland Clinic
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It has a greenish hue. Meat that turns green or greenish-brown is usually unsafe for eating, though browning without a greenish hue is not necessarily a sign of rotting. An iridescent sheen is a sign of exposure to heat, light, and/or processing and is not necessarily a sign of spoilage or decreased quality.^{[5]
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- When in doubt about a meat's color, throw it away.

Section 2 of 5:

How can you tell if poultry is bad?

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1
It has a strong, rancid odor. Fresh poultry should not have any discernible smell. If your poultry has a distinct, unpleasant odor, throw it away and clean out your fridge or freezer. The smell of raw poultry often lingers if the area isn't cleaned thoroughly.^{[6]
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- Baking soda is an effective cleaner for getting rid of bad smells.^{[7]
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It has a grayish color. Fresh raw poultry should be pinkish, and cooked poultry should be white. Poultry that is grayish has probably gone bad. Do not purchase or eat chicken with a dull, discolored appearance.^{[8]
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- Take the breading or glaze off of cooked poultry served at a restaurant to examine its color.
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It has a slimy texture. Although raw poultry may have a thin liquid film, it should not have a mucus-like coating. If your poultry feels sticky or excessively slimy, throw it away.^{[9]
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- Wash your hands after handling raw poultry, whether you believe it is spoiled or not.
In addition to all of the above signs, rotten cooked poultry may start to mold if it has gone bad. This can result in it looking green or fuzzy. Do not attempt to remove the mold or eat the non-moldy parts if you notice this on your cooked poultry. Throw the entirety of the cooked poultry to avoid food poisoning.^{[10]
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Section 3 of 5:

How can you tell if seafood is bad?

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1
It smells “fishy” or sour. Contrary to common thought, fresh seafood should not smell fishy. It might smell like the sea but shouldn't have a strong or pungent smell. Trust your nose: if your seafood smells foul, throw it away.^{[11]
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FoodSafety.gov
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- Smell fresh seafood while you are at the supermarket to compare its smell.
- For instance, Campbell says spoiled lobster may smell like ammonia.
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It’s dry and discolored. Inspect your seafood to examine its freshness. Seafood should have shiny skin as if it has come out of the water. Dry seafood is usually spoiled. If it has eyes and/or gills, its eyes should be clear (not cloudy) and its gills should be reddish, not purple or brown.^{[12]
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- Here are signs that seafood is good to eat depending on the type:^{[13]
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  - Whole fish should have red gills, possibly red blood lines.
  - Fish filets should not have drying around the edges.
  - Shrimp, scallop, and lobster flesh should be clear and pearl-like.
- Avoid fish with scales that look like they're flaking off.
Fresh fish meat is usually white, red, or pinkish in color with a thin liquid film. If the meat is blueish or graying and a thick liquid seeps from it, your fish has likely gone bad.^{[14]
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It's dead (for shellfish). Check live seafood before you cook it. Seafood that must be eaten alive, like shellfish, often spoils rapidly after they've died. Tap live clams, oysters, and mussels to make sure their shell closes when touched. Watch crabs and lobsters for leg movement before cooking.^{[15]
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US Food and Drug Administration
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- Do not eat shellfish that has been dead for hours before you cooked it.

Section 4 of 5:

How to Prevent Meat Spoilage

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1
Avoid thawing your meat on the kitchen counter. Meat left out of the fridge or freezer for long periods of time is at risk of spoiling. Leaving your meat out at room temperature for long periods of time increases the risk of spoilage. Instead, thaw meat using the microwave or thaw it in the fridge.^{[16]
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FoodSafety.gov
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- Avoid eating expired or unrefrigerated meat. Even if your meat appears unspoiled, it can still be infected with harmful bacteria. Do not eat meat that has been left out in the kitchen for too long.
Meat should be stored in the refrigerator at a temperature of 40 °F (4 °C). If your meat is stored at a warmer temperature, it is more likely to spoil. Throw out food that has been kept for many hours at room temperature.^{[17]
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Freeze your meat if you do not plan to eat it soon. Although meats will only be kept for several days in a fridge, they can last for months in the freezer. To extend the shelf life of your meat, place it in a sealed container and freeze it until you plan to eat it.^{[18]
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Food Safety and Inspection Service of the USDA
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- Frozen meats can develop freezer burn, which, while not dangerous, often tastes unpleasant.
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Check the meat's internal temperature while cooking. Because not all foodborne bacteria are detectable, cooking your meat to the right temperature is key for preventing food poisoning. Cooking red meat to between 120–165 °F (49–74 °C) (depending on rareness) is ideal. Poultry should be cooked to 165 °F (74 °C). Seafood is safest when cooked to 145 °F (63 °C).^{[19]
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- Some seafood, like sushi, is eaten raw. In this case, follow cooking instructions carefully and throw the meat out if you notice signs of spoilage.

Section 5 of 5:

What happens if you eat spoiled meat?

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If you eat spoiled meat, you’ll likely get food poisoning. Food poisoning is caused when you eat foods with harmful bacteria, parasites, or viruses that are typically found in spoiled foods. This can cause flu-like symptoms like cramps, diarrhea, vomiting, and fever.^{[20]
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Johns Hopkins Medicine
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- Food poisoning usually lasts 1 to 3 days, and symptoms can start as soon as 30 minutes after eating spoiled food.
- Food poisoning is treated with anti-nausea medications, hydration, and rest.
- If you experience food poisoning and don’t feel better after 3 days, seek medical attention immediately.

Signs that Meat is Bad Handouts

Signs Red Meat Is Bad

Signs Poultry is Bad

Signs Seafood Meat is Bad

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Tips

Avoid eating meats with broken seals or liquids seeping from the package.

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Always wash your hands before and after touching raw meat.

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If you suspect your meat has spoiled, do not ingest it. Send back spoiled meat if it is served to you at a restaurant.

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Warnings

Do not taste questionable meat to check if it is spoiled. You can get food poisoning from ingesting small amounts of spoiled food.

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