How to Tell If Sausage Is Off?
Sausage is a staple at any barbeque, but there are times when you need to make sure that the meat you got is good to go.
You might have had those sausage packets in your fridge for some time, and you’re not really sure if they’re safe.
That being said, this guide is here to help answer the question of how to tell if the sausage is bad?
How to Tell If the Sausage Went Bad?
There are several ways to check if the sausages you have are still safe for consumption or not, and they rely on three of your senses: smell, sight, and touch.
If you find any of the following indicators, you should throw your sausages away to avoid the risk of food poisoning.
Check your pork breakfast sausages before cooking.
Smell
Starting off with the easiest one, fresh meat usually has a distinct raw smell. On the other hand, rotten meat has a pungent, repelling one.
It’s a rancid and horrible smell that you’ll instantly recognize and that will make the sausages completely unappealing.
Texture
If the sausage has a natural casing, you’ll find it slimy to the touch. This indicates that the casing outside the sausage has already started the rotting phase.
Color
Sausages usually have a pinkish hue to them, but when they start to rot, they turn white and even grey as they continue to wither away.
Another indicator that you can find is any black or green spots on the sausages themselves. These are bacteria and mold, which are definitely a sign that the sausages went bad.
What Will Happen If Bad Sausage Is Consumed?
A variety of symptoms may occur if you consume bad meat, ranging from vomiting and stomach cramps to diarrhea and food poisoning.
If you happen to have any of these symptoms after eating meat, head for a checkup as soon as possible.
What Is the Best Way to Protect Sausage From Going Bad?
While there’s no way to stop this from happening since sausages are perishable food, the best solution is to prolong their shelf life, not to fix them after they’ve gone bad.
Whether it’s cooked or raw sausages, they still need to be well-packaged and stored to make sure they don’t rot too fast.
- Raw sausages can be stored either in the fridge or the freezer. Note, however, that raw sausage perishes faster than cooked sausage, so the sooner you cook it, the better.
- Cooked sausages do stay a day or two extra, yet they need to be consumed quickly or they’ll start growing harmful bacteria.
Another factor to consider before purchasing sausages is the “best before” date on the package. It provides the information you need with regard to when it’s best to eat them.
If you have a pack of sausages that have stayed past their “best before” date, do not risk eating them and just throw them away.