can you eat bacon after expiration date

Can You Eat Bacon After the Expiration Date?

Few smells are more tempting than sizzling bacon in the morning. But what if you discover a package in the back of the fridge that’s past its expiration date? Should you feed it to the dog instead? Or is it still safe for you to enjoy?

Expiration dates on bacon, and most foods, provide useful guidance but aren’t always hard and fast rules With proper storage and handling, bacon can often last 5-7 days past its printed date

However, it’s crucial to assess quality and safety using your senses before digging in. Let’s explore how to tell if bacon is OK to eat after the expiration date.

Understanding Expiration Dates

First it’s important to note different terms used on product dating

• Sell By indicates the last day a store should display the product.

• Use By is the manufacturer’s recommendation for peak quality.

• Best By refers to optimal flavor/texture, not safety.

None of these dates automatically means the food is unsafe after that point. Dates are estimates by manufacturers as to when the quality starts declining. foodsafety.gov notes the date labeling is voluntary (non-perishables can remain unspoiled and edible long past the date).

So the expiration date on bacon is a general guideline for freshness, not an absolute measure of when it’s unsafe to eat.

How Long Is Bacon Good For After Its Sell By Date?

Thanks to bacon’s salt content, smoking, and curing, it has a longer shelf life than many meats. Fresh, unopened bacon stored properly usually lasts the following times past its date:

• 1 week past sell by date
• 2-3 weeks past its use by date
• Up to 6 months past any date if continuously frozen

The key is continuous refrigeration at 40°F or below. If held properly, the quality declines slowly while still retaining acceptable flavor, texture and safety.

Assessing Safety – When to Toss Expired Bacon

Because sell by dates aren’t exact expiration dates, you have to rely on your senses and proper handling to determine if bacon is still usable. Here are ways to tell if bacon has spoiled and is unsafe to eat:

• Slimy texture or sticky residue
• Changes in color – greenish, gray, or black areas
• Strong sour, unpleasant odors
• Signs of mold throughout the package
• Very dry, crumbly consistency

Bacon exhibiting any of those conditions should be discarded ASAP. Don’t risk getting sick from spoiled meat.

Tasting Bacon After the Sell By Date

If there are no obvious signs of spoilage, the best test is to cook a small piece of the bacon. Then examine the taste and smell closely. Rancid bacon gives off a distinct sour, bitter, ammonia-like smell when cooked. Even a mild “off” odor likely means it’s time to trash it.

You can also check the texture after cooking expired bacon. Dry, tough bacon that lacks pliability or falls apart easily indicates the fat has oxidized and quality has diminished, signaling it’s not worth eating.

Safety Tips for Eating Expired Bacon

If your inspection and taste test determine the expired bacon is still good, here are some tips to make sure it’s safe:

• Cook it thoroughly until steaming hot.

• Stick to smaller portion sizes, 2-3 slices max.

• Avoid serving to children, pregnant women, elderly, or those with weakened immune systems. Their health is more vulnerable to any bacteria present.

• Avoid eating raw expired bacon; always cook it.

As long as there are absolutely no signs of spoilage, eating cooked bacon within 1 week of its sell-by date is unlikely to cause food poisoning. But never eat it if you have any doubt.

Storing Bacon Properly For Maximum Freshness

To help bacon retain optimal freshness and flavor after opening, be diligent about storage:

• Keep opened packages tightly wrapped in foil or plastic wrap. Eliminate as much air exposure as possible.

• Store opened bacon toward the back of the fridge, not in the door where temps fluctuate.

• Once opened, try to use the package within 5-7 days for best quality.

• Freeze any unused portions. Bacon keeps 3-6 months in the freezer depending on fat content.

Proper fridge temps (40°F or under) and minimizing air exposure slows rancidity and bacteria growth, extending the shelf life.

Cooking and Serving Expired Bacon

Assuming it passes the look, smell and taste tests, expired bacon can still be enjoyed in your favorite dishes. Here are some preparation tips:

• Opt for cooking methods like baking, frying or microwaving to heat it thoroughly.

• Chop it up and add small pieces to salads, soups, pasta sauce, casseroles. This masks any potential off-flavors.

• Mix with other stronger spices and ingredients like onions, garlic, barbecue sauce.

• Reserve cooking grease for other uses instead of eating if quality seems questionable.

The bottom line is to rely on your senses, not just the date. Bacon that smells, tastes and looks fine should be perfectly safe to eat if cooked fully. But never hesitate to throw it out at the first signs of spoilage.

The Takeaway – Trust Your Senses!

So can you eat bacon after the expiration date? The answer is usually yes if it’s been continuously refrigerated and shows no obvious signs of spoilage. Sell by dates serve as useful guidelines but not definitive timelines of when bacon becomes unsafe.

Your eyes, nose and mouth ultimately determine whether bacon is good or bad after the date passes. Be diligent assessing how it looks, smells and tastes before eating. If in any doubt – throw it out! But with proper storage and handling, packaged bacon can often last up to a week past its printed expiration date and still be enjoyed.

Just remember to rely on your senses, not the calendar. And be sure to cook expired bacon thoroughly to kill any potentially harmful bacteria before eating it. Trust your judgment and your bacon can deliver tasty, crispy, crave-worthy results, even after its sell by date.