How to Tell If Pork Has Gone Bad

The bacteria from spoiled meat, pork in particular could cause food poisoning, which creates symptoms like stomach pain, diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, and cramping. These symptoms could take from one to three days to happen.

Fresh pork could be a healthy part of your daily diet. A 3 1/2 ounce serving of pork generally contains five grams of fat and 190 calories. Lean pork is a great protein source as well, containing 30 grams in each serving, and has iron, B vitamins, zinc, magnesium, and phosphorus.

For health purposes, it is very important to know how to determine when pork has gone bad. Here is a helpful guide:

Step #1

Check the date on the package prior to buying or cooking the meat. If the pork has "use-by" date then freeze or cook it by the date indicated. If it has a "sell-by" date or has no indicated date, freeze or cook the pork steaks, roast, ribs, or chops within 3 to 5 days of purchasing. Never cook or consume pork with an expired "sell by" or "use by" date, unless it's frozen properly prior to the date listed.

Step #2

To avoid spoilage, store the pork properly. If fresh meat is sold and packed in a plastic wrap, transfer the meat to a storage freezer bag before you place it in the fridge or freezer. Doing so will prevent the pork from having contact with air. Use a Ziplock plastic bag and then squeeze out all excess air before you seal the bag. The pork should be stored in your fridge at about 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Freeze it at zero degrees and cook and eat it within 4 to 6 months.

Step #3

Smell the meat. Fresh meat should have very little or no odour at all. If you smell any sour, strange or ammonia-like odour, the meat is no longer fresh and must not be consumed. Vacuum-packed pork is the only exception, as it may have a particular odour that will dissipate when the pork is rinsed with cold water.

Step #4

Feel the pork. It should be moist and firm. Spoiled meat will feel sticky, or can feel dry or hard.

Step #5

Fresh pork should be grayish-pink in colour. Spoiled, raw meat could be dark gray or brown, and must not be consumed. If there is fat marbling, it should be white, not gray or yellow.