Turkey can be a delicious and healthy meat choice, but only when it’s fresh. Once turkey goes bad, it can make you very sick. So how do you know if the raw turkey in your fridge has spoiled? An easy way is to use your nose.
A Fresh Turkey Has Very Little Odor
When you first buy turkey straight from the butcher or grocery store it should have very minimal odor. Raw poultry like chicken and turkey has a mild “meaty” scent when fresh. Ground turkey may have a slightly stronger smell just due to being ground up. But generally, raw turkey that smells neutral not unpleasant, is still good to cook.
If you unwrap a package of fresh, raw turkey and notice a strong, foul odor, that’s a sign it has already started to spoil.
Spoiled Raw Turkey Smells Bad
Meat goes bad when harmful bacteria start multiplying quickly. These bacteria give off chemicals that cause strong, distinctive foul smells. So if your turkey smells bad, trust your senses. Don’t risk eating it.
Here are some of the unpleasant smells that indicate spoiled raw turkey:
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A strong, rotten egg smell. This scent comes from hydrogen sulfide gas produced by bacteria.
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A sour, acidic odor. Spoiled turkey may smell vinegary or acidic due to lactic acid bacteria growth
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An ammonia smell. Decaying meat gives off ammonia gas.
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A yeasty, alcohol-like smell. Turkey going bad often smells fermented due to yeasts and molds.
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A sulfurous, “rotten cabbage” stench. This comes from hydrogen sulfide and organic sulfur compounds.
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A general gross, decaying smell. As turkey decomposes, it just smells rotten and decomposed.
If your turkey has a bad smell like described above, it’s safest to throw it out. The stench means potentially harmful microbes are already multiplying to hazardous levels. Don’t take a chance on food poisoning.
What Color Is Bad Turkey?
In addition to odor, you can visually inspect the turkey. The color isn’t always a perfect indicator of freshness, but it can provide clues:
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Pink, red or bloody areas. This can indicate bacterial growth. Discard.
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Graying or dull, dry-looking meat. This happens as turkey starts to spoil.
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Green or blue tints. These are signs the meat has turned due to bacterial enzymes. Don’t eat turkey with these discolorations.
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Slimy texture or mucus-like substance on the meat. Slime indicates microbial growth.
Trust your eyes along with your nose. Turkey with strange colors or a slimy appearance is likely spoiled.
How to Store Turkey Safely
To help turkey stay fresh as long as possible:
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Store turkey in the coldest part of the refrigerator, at 40°F or below. Keep frozen turkey frozen solid.
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Place turkey on a plate or in a container to prevent juices from dripping on other food.
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Use ground turkey within 2 days of purchase, whole turkey within 2 days of thawing.
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Don’t let turkey sit out at room temperature more than 2 hours total.
Proper refrigerator temperatures and food handling reduce bacteria growth that causes foul smells and illness.
What to Do if You Eat Bad Turkey
Hopefully you catch spoiled turkey before eating it. But if you do accidentally ingest bad turkey, be alert for food poisoning symptoms:
- Nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps
- Diarrhea
- Fever and chills
- Dehydration
Food poisoning from meat usually causes gastroenteritis, an inflammation of the stomach and intestines. Symptoms can start anywhere from 30 minutes to 36 hours after eating contaminated turkey.
See a doctor right away if you have severe vomiting, bloody stool, high fever over 101°F, or signs of dehydration after suspecting food poisoning.
To recover, drink lots of fluids and electrolytes. The illness usually resolves on its own within 3-5 days. Report suspected food poisoning to your local health department.
Key Points on Spoiled Turkey Safety
It’s important to recognize when turkey has gone bad. Look for these signs:
- Foul odors like sulfur, rotten eggs, or garbage
- Slimy texture and unnatural colors
- Expired use-by date
Trust your senses when inspecting raw turkey. Rely on smell first, then sight, to determine safety and freshness. Discard any turkey with an unpleasant odor or unusual appearance.
With proper refrigeration and handling, raw turkey can stay fresh for 2 days past a “sell by” date or 5 days after thawing. But when in doubt, remember the saying “When in doubt, throw it out.” Don’t chance eating rotten, smelly turkey and getting sick. Be vigilant to keep yourself and your family safe.
The Reason: Why Does Ground Turkey Smell Bad
FAQ
What are the signs of a spoiled turkey?
Does vacuum packed turkey smell?
How long does uncooked ground turkey last in the fridge?
Is ground turkey supposed to be white when cooked?
What does turkey meat smell like?
Beef is said to smell slightly “bloody”, whereas fresh raw chicken shouldn’t really have much of a smell at all. Turkey meat is very similar to chicken, and it shouldn’t have a distinct smell when it’s fresh. Over time, it will naturally pick up some sort of scent, but it certainly shouldn’t smell rancid, off, or spoiled.
What does a spoiled turkey smell like?
Spoiled turkey has a strong, foul odor, reminiscent of ammonia or rotten eggs. What’s more, whole turkeys are quite large —usually between 15 and 30 pounds. If one of those goes bad while it’s in your fridge, you’ll be able to smell it right away.
Does a fresh turkey smell bad?
The fresher it is, the less it will smell. But, even if it’s been a few days, the turkey won’t generally pick up a naturally bad odor until much later, unless it’s been deprived of oxygen. This doesn’t mean fresh turkey should smell nice, but it shouldn’t be unpleasant either!
What does raw ground turkey smell like?
When you open a fresh pack, raw ground turkey should have a natural, mild, meaty scent. If you detect a sour or any off-putting odor, it’s a clear sign the turkey isn’t safe to eat. If it’s been stored improperly or for too long, bacteria can grow, leading to an off-putting smell.