You've probably seen packages of ground beef at the grocery store encased in bloated plastic packaging. Maybe you purchased a nice steak or pack of chicken thighs, and when it came time to cook them, you noticed a big air bubble that's making the packaging swell. And when you're getting ready to cook, nothing's worse than discovering a questionable ingredient.
Is that meat still safe to eat? Do you take the risk or pitch it?
We asked two food-safety experts to educate us on bloated meat packaging and provide tips for purchasing meat.
What Causes Meat Packaging To Bloat?
There are a couple of reasons why the package might be swelling with air. To reduce spoilage from oxygen, a process called Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP) is often used in the packaging of meat. According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), MAP, along with controlled Atmosphere Packaging (CAP), replaces some or all of the oxygen in the package with other gases like nitrogen and carbon dioxide.
"This slows microbial growth and oxidation, preserving meat's freshness, quality, and color, while reducing food waste," said Jessica Gavin, Certified Food Scientist, Certified Culinary Scientist, and recipe developer.
She said that it's normal for MAP to cause puffiness in packaging. That said, excessive bloating could indicate microbial spoilage from gases produced by bacteria.
"Meat with high unsaturated fats or high pH spoils faster and benefits from vacuum sealing to eliminate oxygen completely," she said.
Is It Safe To Eat Meat In Bloated Packaging?
So, should you toss your package of ground beef if the packaging was bloated?
"If meat packaging is swollen due to microbial contamination, avoid eating it. While not all spoilage organisms are harmful, some cause off flavors, odors, or color changes," said Gavin.
While meat packages that aren't overly puffy could be a result of MAP, it's probably best to steer clear of them.
"Avoid purchasing or consuming bloated vacuum-sealed products, as they are likely spoiled," said Gavin.
Safety Tips For Buying Meat
When it comes to food safety, there are a few important things to consider when buying meat at the grocery store, according to Katie Heil, Certified Professional in Food Safety and content manager at Certus. These include temperature, package integrity, and color, odor, and texture.
Temperature: It can be difficult to tell if meat is refrigerated at its correct temperature of below 41 degrees, but Heil has a few things to look for. "If there’s condensation in or on the packaging, or if a refrigeration unit seems so full that you can’t feel any cold air circulating between the food items, the meat may not be safe to buy."
Package integrity: "Packaging should be clean and intact. If sealed meat packages or cans are leaking or bulging, it's probably safest to avoid those items," she said.
Color, odor, and texture: "If the meat has an unexpected color or smell, or if it appears to be slimy or leave the imprint of your finger when you press on it, don't buy the meat."
