We know and understand how disappointing it is to open a pack of meat you’ve just defrosted, excited to transform it into a delicious meal, only for your senses to be overwhelmed with an awful smell that isn’t far from a rotten egg. Off meat is an unpleasant surprise we never wish on anyone, especially not our existing and prospective customers. Here’s what it smells like, how to identify poor meat hygiene, and how to avoid your meat from going off.

Commons signs of off meat 

The most obvious sign of off meat is the bad smell. Beef that’s gone bad will have a sour smell, similar to the smell of off milk. The smell is the first indication followed by appearance: the colour will have changed and the texture may be slimy or sticky. As the saying goes in the meat trading industry: “When in doubt, throw it out!” 

Reasons for meat going bad

There are a variety of reasons for meat going bad. These may include:

• Live handling
• Unclean slaughter
• Incorrect storage
• Insufficient or faulty refrigeration
• Poor handling or incorrect handling after purchase
• Incorrect packaging

It’s important that you are aware of meats with preservatives like sausages and cured meats — if these are kept for too long, they can carry harmful pathogens even though no smell is evident. Always buy quality meat from a trusted, reputable source.

Meat hygiene: how to prevent meat from going off

The intestines of animals carry a wide variety of bacteria and some of these can cause food poisoning when consumed by humans. While reputable wholesalers will take all the necessary precautions through stringent hygiene and sterilisation methods, there’s a chance that you are still left with off meat due to the way you have handled or stored your meat. To prevent meat from going off, be sure to: 

• Carry a cooler bag with you when you shop for meat
• Transfer your meat to your fridge as soon as possible after you purchase it
• Consume ground beef within 24 hours of purchase or store it in the freezer
• Follow use-by dates

What happens if I eat off meat?

Eating off meat, especially ground beef which could contain dangerous pathogenic bacteria, could give you a foodborne illness. Obvious signs of this include nausea, vomiting, fever, stomach cramps, and diarrhea. 

VWG prides itself on adhering to the strictest hygiene and sterilisation protocols to ensure we deliver high-quality, safe, and delicious products to our customers. If you are not sure if your meat is safe to consume, please get in touch.