Is this ground beef safe to eat?
A few days ago I purchased a pound of ground beef from the supermarket, it was already on clearance when purchased. Since then, the beef has turned grey all throughout, and has a slight scent to it. I wouldn't say that the scent is necessarily unpleasant, but it's slightly sour, and has an almost buttery or "farm" smell to it. I can't quite explain it well. I am currently cooking the meat, and it still has that smell, and it's since permeated throughout the house. I really have no idea if it's good or not, because it certainly doesn't smell unpleasant, though it does have a smell. As well, it didn't feel slimey, or anything of the sort. The only troubles are that the smell is there, whether it's bad or not, and the entirety of the beef has turned gray with very little red left remaining inside, and mostly dispersed. I am wondering if this is safe to eat or not, or if it's perhaps best to throw it away?
Edit: Also I should note, I noticed that the blood has also turned brown, and the sell-by date was yesterday.
Best Answer
When in doubt, throw it out.
There are three main indicators to spoiled beef:
- Texture: beef becomes slimy as it spoils.
- Color: beef will go gray as it spoils, BUT, it will also go gray due to it oxidizing. This makes it a somewhat unreliable measure without the other indicators.
- Smell: as beef spoils it will start to smell sour. Note that you did mention the smell being sour in your description.
Your beef has hit two out of three boxes. It may just be starting to spoil. I would consider it potentially unsafe to eat.
But why take the risk?
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Quick Answer about "Is this ground beef safe to eat?"
Raw ground beef should be bright red on the outside and brownish on the inside. If its surface has turned thoroughly brown or gray or grown mold, it has gone bad and should be discarded.Is ground beef safe to eat now 2021?
FSIS advises all consumers to safely prepare their raw meat products, including fresh and frozen, and only consume ground beef that has been cooked to a temperature of 160 \xb0F.Is ground beef safe to eat now 2020?
According to the U. S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service, ground beef should be cooked to an internal temperature of at least 160\xbaF to kill bacteria.Is ground beef OK to eat now?
As long as a person correctly and safely stores their meat, they do not necessarily need to discard any products past their \u201cbest before\u201d date. It is safe for people to consume refrigerated ground beef up to 2 days past this date. If freezing, it is advisable to eat ground beef within 4 months .Is ground beef still good if it turns brown?
Ground beef changing color may not be bad \u2014 yet It's simple really: Once exposed to oxygen, ground beef will turn brown, and that is perfectly normal (via The Takeout). This is similar to what happens to apples, avocadoes, and eggplants when they get a whiff or two of fresh air.How to Make Sure the Ground Beef You Eat Is Safe
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