How To Tell If Pork Tenderloin Is Bad?
How to tell if pork tenderloin is bad? There are several signs that your pork tenderloin has gone bad. The most visible signs are foul smell, change in color, and slimy film all over the meat’s surface.
Although rare, food poisoning is dangerous and even life-threatening when it happens. Meat is one of the riskiest food items. as it can carry numerous bacteria and other parasites. This is why making sure that meat hasn’t gone bad before using it should be your top priority.
Fortunately, there are many signs that pork tenderloin has gone bad; you just need to learn how to spot them. This is why I wrote this article, to help you stay safe and avoid food poisoning when enjoying your favorite food. Keep reading!
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How To Tell If Pork Tenderloin Is Bad?
One of the most obvious signs that pork tenderloin has gone bad is the sour odor. Fresh pork should have very little to no odor, while pork that has gone bad will often smell sour or rancid. If you notice a strong smell coming from your pork, it’s best to throw it out.
Another sign of bad pork tenderloin is a color change. Fresh pork is typically pale pink in color, while meat that has gone bad will often have a gray or greenish tint to it. If you notice any color changes, it’s best to err on the side of caution and throw the pork out.
Cooked pork is brownish in color, and it will also change color when spoiled. Spoiled cooked pork becomes dark, almost black.
The texture is another good indicator of whether or not pork tenderloin has gone bad. Fresh pork should be smooth and firm, while meat that has gone bad will often be mushy or sticky. If you’re unsure about the texture, it’s best to throw the pork out.
What Does Bad Pork Tenderloin Smell Like?
Spoiled pork tenderloin will have a sour, ammonium-like smell. The best way to describe it is as if someone poured ammonia on your pork. If you notice this type of smell, it’s best to discard the meat. If you don’t know the smell of ammonium, it is similar to a cleaning product.
Some people say that bad pork tenderloin smells like rotten eggs. This is because when pork begins to spoil, it releases a sulfuric gas. This gas can make the meat smell like rotten eggs. If you notice this type of smell, it’s best to discard the meat.
How Long Does Pork Tenderloin Last In The Fridge?
Refrigerating slows down the growth of bacteria but doesn’t stop it completely. This is why storing food in a fridge will prolong its shelf life, but not forever.
Fresh pork tenderloin, if it is still raw, can stay in the fridge for up to four days. After that, you either need to cook it, freeze it, or throw it away. Of course, the longer you wait, the more you risk the development of food-borne parasites.
The already cooked pork can stay in the fridge for 3-5 days, depending on the fridge temperature, how well you wrapped the meat, and other factors. You need to either eat that leftover pork or freeze it, and the sooner you do any of those two, the better.
How Can You Tell If Raw Pork Loin Is Bad?
Fresh meat is always a bit more susceptible to going bad than cooked meat. This is because raw pork already contains bacteria and maybe even parasites, which are killed during the cooking process.
When the raw pork loin goes bad, it will show color changes, it will smell bad, and it will have a slimy texture. However, even after you cook pork, it can and will go bad if you don’t eat or freeze it on time.
Is Grey Pork Safe To Eat?
No matter which type of pork meat you have, pork chops, pork loin, pork belly, or even ground pork, the meat should always be pink. The grey color signifies that your pork is bad, and you should toss it away.
Even if only small parts of the meat are grey, you don’t want to risk eating rotten meat. Pork spoilage isn’t something you should ignore unless you want to endanger your health.
How To Store Pork Tenderloin?
Proper storage significantly prolongs the shelf life of your pork tenderloin. If the pork tenderloin in question is still raw, you need to tightly wrap it in plastic wrap and place it in an airtight container.
This way, you will prevent pathogens from the air from coming into contact with the meat. Even if your meat is already cooked, you should basically follow the same advice. Wrap the meat tightly and place it in a suitable container.
If you know that you can’t use the meat in the next few days, you should consider freezing it. In a freezer, both cooked and raw pork tenderloin will last up to 2-3 months without losing its quality.
How To Prevent Your Pork Tenderloin From Going Bad?
Apart from storing it properly, there are some other things you can do to prevent the spoilage of your pork tenderloin.
First, always make sure that your work surfaces, knives, and other things that will touch the meat are clean. Oftentimes, dirty kitchen counters are responsible for meat contamination.
Always thaw your frozen pork tenderloin in the refrigerator, and not at room temperature. Properly cooking pork is another thing you can do to make sure it doesn’t go bad. When it reaches the internal temperature of at least 145 degrees F, you will significantly reduce the chance of food poisoning.
How Long Is Packaged Pork Tenderloin Good?
Store-bought and tightly packaged pork tenderloin will be good for up to 1-2 days after its sell-by date. However, always keep an eye on any of possible spoilage symptoms, and if you notice any of those signs, toss away the meat regardless of its sell-by date.
Summary
So, now you know how to tell if pork tenderloin is bad! The most obvious signs are sour smell, grey or dark meat color, and slimy or sticky texture. If you notice any of these signs, throw the meat away.
Additionally, spoiled pork tenderloin will have a weird taste, but if you are careful enough, you won’t even get to that point of eating spoiled meat. However, if you somehow still eat bad pork tenderloin, go to the hospital as soon as possible.
