Is Slimy Bacon Bad? How to Tell if Your Bacon Has Gone Bad

Bacon is a breakfast staple in many households. There’s nothing quite like the smell of sizzling bacon in the morning! However, bacon does have a relatively short shelf life and can go bad pretty quickly if not stored properly. One of the most common signs of spoiled bacon is a slimy texture. But is all slimy bacon bad?

As a bacon lover myself, I’ve encountered some slimy packages over the years. However, through research and experience, I’ve learned not all slime means the bacon needs to be tossed out. Some slime is harmless, while excessive slime or slime combined with other signs indicates full spoilage.

In this article, we’ll cover everything you need to know about slimy bacon:

• What causes bacon to get slimy
• How to tell if slimy bacon is safe to eat
• Signs that slimy bacon has truly gone bad
• Proper bacon storage to prevent premature spoilage
• Health risks of eating spoiled bacon

Let’s get cooking!

What Causes Bacon to Become Slimy?

There are a few reasons why properly packaged bacon might develop a slimy texture or film

• Moisture loss – During the curing, smoking, and packaging process, moisture can get pushed to the surface of the meat, congealing into a slippery gelatin.

• Fat rendering – As fat renders out of cooked bacon, it can re-solidify into a smooth, slimy layer when cooled down.

• Bacteria – Bacteria like lactobacillus break down sugars in spoiled meat, producing slime as a byproduct.

So in some cases, slime on bacon is totally normal and harmless. But in other cases, it signals microbial spoilage. Use other signs in addition to slime to determine if your bacon is still good.

Is Slimy Bacon Safe to Eat?

If your fresh bacon has a thin, translucent slime layer but still smells and looks normal, it should be safe to eat. The slime itself won’t make you sick. Simply rinse it off with cold water before cooking as usual

However, if the bacon smells rancid or shows other signs of spoilage like mold or dark discoloration, avoid eating it. The slime is a warning sign that dangerous bacteria may be present, even if the bacon still “seems OK.” Don’t take risks with food safety.

Wheninspecting slimy bacon consider

✔️ Amount of slime – Small amounts are usually harmless. Excessive slime indicates spoilage.

✔️ Odor – Fresh bacon has a mild meaty or smoky smell. Foul odors mean toss it!

✔️ Color – Pink or red is good. Gray, brown, green or blue is bad.

✔️ Texture – Bacon shouldn’t be sticky, tacky or excessively moist and drippy.

If in doubt, remember it’s better to be safe than sick – throw it away!

4 Signs Bacon Has Gone Bad

While a slimy texture is one sign of spoiled bacon, there are a few other clear indicators that bacon has gone fully bad and needs to be discarded:

1. Mold Growth

Any mold or fuzzy growth means bacon should be thrown out immediately. Mold spores can spread through food and survive cooking temperatures. Don’t try to salvage moldy bacon!

2. Foul, Rancid Odor

Fresh bacon has a mild meaty smell. If yours smells sour, sulfurous or ammonia-like, it has gone off. Trust your nose!

3. Unnatural Color Changes

Good bacon is pink or pale red. Green, gray, brown or blue hues indicate microbial growth. Discard discolored bacon.

4. Strange Textures

Watch for excessive stickiness, extreme slime or drippiness, or a thick slimy coating on the meat. These textures signal spoilage.

If your bacon shows any of these signs, it’s no longer safe for consumption. You’ll have to say goodbye and throw it in the trash.

Proper Bacon Storage

To prevent premature spoilage and slime formation, always store bacon properly:

• Keep unopened packages refrigerated at 40°F or below. Use by the “sell by” or “use by” date.

• Once opened, tightly rewrap bacon in plastic wrap or an airtight container. Use within 4-7 days.

• Store cooked bacon in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.

• Freeze uncooked bacon for 2-3 months if you won’t use it in time. Thaw in the refrigerator before using.

Proper chilling limits bacteria growth that causes slime and spoilage. Don’t leave bacon sitting in the fridge unwrapped!

Can Spoiled Bacon Make You Sick?

Eating bad bacon that’s slimy or shows other signs of spoilage can definitely make you sick. Meat can harbor dangerous bacteria like salmonella, E. coli, listeria, and staphylococcus.

Consuming spoiled bacon can cause food poisoning symptoms such as:

• Nausea and vomiting
• Stomach cramps and diarrhea
• Fever and chills
• Headaches
• Fatigue and body aches

In severe cases, food poisoning can even result in hospitalization. The risks of eating bad bacon far outweigh any potential benefit. Remember, “when in doubt, throw it out!”

Cooking Bacon Safely

Cooking bacon thoroughly kills any bacteria for safer consumption:

• Fry or bake until crispy, 15+ minutes

• Use a meat thermometer to check internal temp reaches 145°F+

• Drain grease and pat away excess fat with paper towels

• Don’t eat raw or undercooked bacon

Proper handling and cooking destroys pathogens that may be present in fresh bacon. So even if your bacon is a little slimy out of the pack, you can still enjoy it – as long as you take precautions to cook it fully.

The Bottom Line

Seeing slimy bacon can definitely be alarming and make you question if it’s gone bad. But in many cases, slimy bacon is still perfectly safe to eat when cooked thoroughly. Only if excessive slime is combined with other signs of spoilage should you discard it.

Follow good food safety practices when storing, preparing and cooking bacon. Then you can fry up deliciously crispy bacon for breakfast, regardless of a little harmless slime straight from the package. Don’t let it go to waste unnecessarily! With proper handling, slimy bacon can still sizzle.