Bacon is one of the most preferred foods among Americans. Fresh bacon is a real delicacy; however, when it comes to improperly stored bacon, a person should be concerned and aware of various food-borne illnesses. Improperly stored bacon can easily and quickly get spoiled, becoming a great source of various bacteria such as Salmonella, Escherichia coli, etc. For this reason, knowing how to tell if bacon is safe to eat is very important.

How to Tell If Bacon Is Bad

1. Check If the Date Has Expired on the Packet

Normally, just with any other foods, if the date on the bacon packet has expired, this bacon is not safe to use anymore. If you are looking at the sell-by date, then you should consume your bacon within 7 days after buying it. Make sure not to confuse the expiry date and the sell-by date. In cases of frozen bacon, you can safely consume it within the first four months from freezing.  

2. Look Close at the Bacon

If you want to tell if your bacon is good or bad, you can just have a close look at it. You will normally need a room with a good light. If your bacon is a pinkish and bright color, then it is healthy and safe to eat. However, if your bacon looks odd and especially if you notice green dots on it, or if it started to turn into a gray-brown color, you better throw that bacon away. Who would want to risk and get a food-borne illness? I wouldn’t.

3. Smell It

How to tell if bacon is bad? You can just simply smell it. Who does not know the great and delicious smell of bacon? If your bacon smells like a fresh meat, you can normally eat it. However, if the bacon has a wired smell, a sour, rotting or a fish odor, then you should not consume this bacon as it is for sure spoiled. If you have just a small doubt on the bacon, don’t risk it.

4. Feel It

Good and safe bacon is not slimy. If your bacon is slimy, then it is probably spoiled, and not consumable. You should throw this bacon in the garbage.

How to Throw the Bad Bacon

• Make sure to throw it away in an outside garbage bin as it will smell up your house if you throw it in your indoor trash can.
• Make sure to wrap the spoiled bacon well before throwing it in the garbage. Wash your hands carefully afterward.
• Also, don’t give this spoiled bacon to your pets as they can get sick too.

How to Store Bacon Properly

How to tell if bacon is bad? You already know the answer. Any bacon that is sliced and packed in unopened and vacuum sealed packages in the refrigerator can be used up to one week after the date has expired. However, once you opened a pack of bacon, you should consume it within the first 7 days.

You can always freeze your bacon in sealed and unopened packages for a couple of weeks and up to four months. Perhaps, it is a good idea to separate your package of bacon into serving sizes before freezing it, so you can always get the necessary portion of bacon from the freezer, without having the need to unfreeze the entire bacon package. Tightly wrap these serving portions into a plastic wrap and foil it. Make sure to put the date so you know when you have bought the bacon and until when it can be consumed.

If you prefer cooked bacon, you can always keep it for a couple of days in the refrigerator before it gets spoiled. First, cook the bacon, drain it carefully on a paper towel and cool it down. Once the bacon is cooled down, seal it in plastic bags and refrigerate it. You can keep this cooked bacon for about 5 days in your refrigerator without fearing that it has spoiled.

You can also freeze the cooked bacon if you prefer. The bacon needs to be placed into a zip-top bag. You can freeze such bacon for up to 6 weeks.

How to tell if bacon is bad? In the following table you can find storage time and storage methods for specific types of bacon products: