How Long Does Bacon Last in the Fridge? (And Signs It's Bad) (2023)

FAQs

What does bad bacon smell like? ›

Smell. Fresh bacon will always have its natural meaty smell. Your bacon is spoiled if it smells sour, fishy, rotting, or just really unpleasant. Bacteria growth and rancidity can make bacon smell nasty.

Bacon that has been spoiled by bacterial growth can cause food poisoning, which may result in symptoms like stomach cramps, severe abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, chest pain, high fever and diarrhea.

While the USDA advises you to adhere to "use by" dates, the "sell by" dates, once again, don't matter much. If left unopened, you can keep bacon in the fridge (40 degrees Fahrenheit) for two weeks. Once you open it, you have seven days to eat the bacon.

Signs of spoilage

When spoiled, the signature red hue of your bacon may start to become dull and fade into a grey, brown, or greenish color. Spoiled bacon may also be slimy or sticky rather than soft and moist. Bacon that has a sour smell or rotting odor should also be thrown out, as this is another sign of spoilage.

Information. You can keep bacon in the refrigerator at 40 ºF or below for one week. Bacon can also be frozen at 0 ºF for four months (for best quality). For more information about bacon and storage of other bacon products, go to Bacon and Food Safety.

Don't eat any bacon that's past its “use by” date. The “sell by” date is a little different: properly stored bacon can be eaten up to 7 days past its “sell by” date. Note that properly frozen bacon can last far beyond its "sell by" or "use by" dates.

Bacon is salt-cured meat cut from pig belly. It's unsafe to eat this popular breakfast item raw due to an increased risk of food poisoning. Instead, you should cook bacon thoroughly — but be careful not to overcook it, as doing so can increase the formation of carcinogens.

Vacuum Sealed Bacon

According to the USDA, a sealed package of unopened bacon will last 2 weeks. For optimum flavor and taste we recommend that you cook and eat any bacon you buy at the store within 7 days.

The reason Bacon goes slimy is because Lactic acid bacteria create a slime formation on the meat.

Bacteria, Carnimonas nigrificans, was found responsible for the development of these spots, or black spots in cured meat products. Its development is favored by the addition of dextrose, maltose or dextrin, while inhibited by the addition of sodium nitrite or potassium bisulphite.

Can I eat cooked bacon after 7 days? ›

Generally, cooked bacon should be eaten within four to five days after cooking. To extend the shelf life of your cooked bacon, you can store it in an airtight container or wrap it tightly with aluminum foil and place it in the refrigerator.

Sell-By Date

Stores use this date to know when to remove products from shelves. You can eat food after the sell-by date. For example, dairy products are good for 1 week after the sell-by date. Eggs are safe for 3 to 5 weeks after the sell-by date.

"For poultry or ground meat, eating the food one to two days past the date should be ok, and for beef, three to five days after the date has passed," says Schapiro.

Basically, that residue is mostly water, along with denatured proteins from the meat. When meat is cooked and the cells expel moisture, there are a lot of dissolved proteins which sometimes make the liquid light-colored and thick. People tend to notice it more with certain meats than others.

Here are the guidelines to keep in mind: Per the USDA, vacuum-sealed packages will remain safe to eat for seven days past the sell-by date, which in some cases might be weeks after you purchased it at the store.

Refrigeration is optional for Bacon Up.

That's normal and does not reduce its quality. For long-term storage, we recommend keeping Bacon Up at temperatures below 80°F.

How Long is Pork Good for After Its Sell By Date? According to the USDA, you should use or freeze fresh pork – or any fresh meat – between 3 to 4 days past its sell-by date. What is this? This general rule stands for pork chops, pork tenderloin, pork roasts, fresh sausage, and any raw pork products really.

Cured meats have a short shelf life, even in the freezer, because of the high fat content and the development of rancid flavors. Rancidity develops even in the freezer and the presence of the curing salts hastens its development. The Food Marketing Institute recommends that opened bacon not be frozen.

Yes, it is safe to eat 2 year old frozen bacon, as long as it has been kept in the freezer the entire time. Even if it has been stored for longer than two years, it is still generally safe to eat, though the quality and taste may have significantly declined.

Can bacon get botulism? ›

Since dry cured, uncooked hams and dry cured bacon are vulnerable to the growth of C. botulinum it would be extremely unwise to decrease nitrite levels in these products without further study.

To prevent botulism (a relatively rare foodborne illness most often caused by improper home canning), sodium nitrite in the form of curing salt is often also used in cured and processed meats. But because bacon is fried before eating, botulism isn't an issue, so the use of curing salt is considered optional.

Bacon, and raw meats in general, can contain the bacteria listeria. Listeria can cause an infection called listeriosis, which can cross the placenta, and present serious problems for a baby.

Vacuum sealing can extend the fridge life of meats as well, but because anaerobic bacteria can grow at temperatures above 3°F, all vacuum-packed refrigerated meats should be unsealed and cooked within 10 days.

How long does an unopened packaged of bacon last in the refrigerator? After bacon is purchased, it may be kept refrigerated for about 1 week after the "sell-by" date on the package if it has been properly stored.

In general, if stored correctly in a sealed container, a zip-top plastic bag, or an airtight bag, cooked bacon will last for up to 5 days in the refrigerator — as long as it's not past its original expiration date.

Washing raw bacon before cooking it is not recommended. Any bacteria that might be present on the surface would be destroyed by cooking.

To determine if your bacon fat is still good for consumption, give it a sniff test. If it has a sour or rancid odor, then it has gone bad and should be discarded. Another way to tell if bacon fat has gone bad is by looking at its color. If it has turned from white to yellow, then it is no longer safe to consume.

What does bad bacon grease smell like? Since the grease is from bacon, it naturally has a natural meaty smell. However, once the bacon grease is spoiled, you will notice a sour, rotting, and sometimes fishy odor. If your grease does have this smell, it's best to throw it away!

Cooked meat can get mouldy if left too long in the fridge, so if you see small fuzzy white or blue spots on your bacon, it's definitely not safe for consumption. The bacon is sticky. If your raw bacon is still soft and just a bit moist, it's safe to eat.

What bacteria does bacon have? ›

Staphylococcus aureus, Toxoplasmosis gondii, Campylobacter, Yersinia enterocolitica, and Listeria monocytogenes bacteria can all contaminate raw pork. Bacterial contamination can occur on the surface of any food if someone handles it who carries the bacteria or if cross-contamination occurs during processing.

Brown spots on steak are often caused by a process known as oxidation. According to the US Department of Agriculture, this is a chemical change in myoglobin due to the oxygen content, and it's a normal and expected part of refrigerator storage.

You should cook regular-cut bacon for a minimum of 12 minutes. But if you have thick bacon strips, you can cook them for a minimum of 20 minutes. Note: You should buy a rack specifically for meat products if you don't already have one.

Once the meat is cool to the touch, place it in an airtight bag. Remove as much air as possible before sealing the bag and placing it in the refrigerator. By following this method, your bacon should stay fresh for up to five days.

Storing Raw Bacon

Packaged sliced bacon can be kept in its unopened vacuum-sealed package in the refrigerator up to a week past the expiration date. Once opened, keep it tightly wrapped in foil or a zip-top bag and use within one week.

If you ever find yourself in a situation where you feel sick due to the consumption of spoiled meat, drink water to prevent dehydration, which can be caused by food poisoning symptoms.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, eggs can be sold for up to 30 days after they were packaged. So when your eggs' expiration date has passed, they could be two months old—and still more than likely safe to eat.

Bacteria can grow in enormous numbers on bad meat, so even a small amount of uncooked or spoiled meat can spread bacteria such as salmonella and E. coli. When it comes to meat, poultry, or fish, think, “When in doubt, don't.” That is, if you're unsure whether it's safe to eat or not, don't eat it.

Spoiled meat will have a distinct, pungent smell that will make your face scrunch up. Texture – In addition to an unpleasant scent, spoiled meats can be sticky or slimy to the touch. Color – Rotten meats will also undergo a slight change in color. Poultry should be anywhere from a bluish-white to yellow in color.

Does bacon go bad if left in fridge? ›

Once you open that package, bacon's shelf life shortens whether you cook it or not. Raw bacon in a package that has been opened and re-sealed will last up to a week in the fridge, and cooked bacon will last four to five days if it's properly stored. You can also store bacon in the freezer.

Don't eat any bacon that's past its “use by” date. The “sell by” date is a little different: properly stored bacon can be eaten up to 7 days past its “sell by” date. Note that properly frozen bacon can last far beyond its "sell by" or "use by" dates.

Once it's thawed in the fridge, how long will it stay good unopened? Editor: According to the USDA, fresh or thawed bacon should be used within 7 days. Technically, frozen food will stay safe to eat nearly indefinitely, but for the sake of quality and taste we tend to freeze bacon no more than a few months.

Bad bacon can contain harmful bacteria like Salmonella or E. coli. These bacteria can cause serious illness or even death. If you think the bacon you ate might be bad, it's best to see a doctor as soon as possible.

Raw Meats – Raw meats can be kept up to 10 day when vacuum packed before needing to be cooked or frozen. In comparison, raw meat that is not vacuum packed will only last 3-5 days in the refrigerator before turning.

The bottom line

Bacon is salt-cured meat cut from pig belly. It's unsafe to eat this popular breakfast item raw due to an increased risk of food poisoning. Instead, you should cook bacon thoroughly — but be careful not to overcook it, as doing so can increase the formation of carcinogens.

You sure can, but only if the bacon was safely thawed in the refrigerator no more than seven days before you refreeze it, according to USDA guidelines. Bacon that was thawed at room temperature, in the microwave, or under running water is not safe to refreeze.

Yes, it is safe to eat 2 year old frozen bacon, as long as it has been kept in the freezer the entire time. Even if it has been stored for longer than two years, it is still generally safe to eat, though the quality and taste may have significantly declined.