The bad news is, there's no way to tell that it's contaminated: not by looking at it, not by smelling it, and not by touching it. These bacteria are completely undetectable. In other words, a piece of chicken that's contaminated with Salmonella will not only appear to be completely "fresh," it can, in fact, be absolutely fresh. The good news, however, is that bacteria of this type are incredibly easy to kill.
All you have to do is cook the chicken. The standard guideline, as given by the FDA, is that chicken should be cooked to an internal temperature of F for at least 30 seconds, and doing so, will reliably kill any harmful bacteria that it might harbor. This makes it extremely easy to ensure that your chicken won't make you sick. Just cook it thoroughly. Now, there are quality issues with cooking chicken to that temperature—specifically chicken breasts , which when they reach F are considered overcooked, meaning they'll be dry and stringy.
But from a food-safety perspective, they're considered safe. Fortunately, by extending the duration, you can lower the target temperature. For instance, an internal temperature of F for 2. Likewise, F for 8. And, since F happens to be the ideal temperature to cook chicken breasts to ensure that they're tender and juicy, all you have to do is make sure that they maintain that temperature for at least 8. For more on that, here's an article on the right temperature for cooking chicken breasts.
Spoilage, on the other hand, is another thing altogether. Spoilage —meaning the changes that take place in food that cause it to smell bad, feel slimy, change color, and so on—is also caused by bacteria, only it's different bacteria. What happens is, like all living organisms, these bacteria eat food and excrete waste. And, in many cases, it's this cycle of eating and excreting that causes the changes in the food that we recognize as spoilage.
In other cases, it's the dead bacteria themselves since their life cycle isn't particularly long. But what's important to know is, chicken that smells bad can't actually make you sick—assuming you cook it properly, in accordance with the guidelines we described above.
Now, whether you would want to cook spoiled chicken is another matter, but the point is, you could. And, it wouldn't hurt you. Low-temperature storage and poor packaging practices are usually responsible for the overgrowth of these dangerous bacterium that may lead to foodborne illness. While the smell of sulfur is usually a dead giveaway that the chicken is bad, a few other clues may also be present. Along with the bad sulfur smell, you may also notice some color changes in spoiled chicken.
Darkening or fading of the meat often accompanies the unappetizing odor of bad chicken. Chicken that smells bad may also feel slimy to the touch. The slimy feel results when bacteria begins to accumulate on the outer surface of the chicken, and may also indicate tissue and protein breakdown in the meat. The bacteria present on bad smelling chicken that causes all of these indicators of spoilage may also cause serious illness if ingested. Common symptoms of foodborne illness often mimic flu systems.
These symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and in some instances, fever. While the healthiest of people may ingest these bacteria without incurring any symptoms, young children, the elderly, pregnant women and those with compromised immune systems tend to be the most symptomatic. Chicken keeps up to two days in the refrigerator, stored in tightly-sealed, leak-proof containers to prevent juices from contaminating other foods or wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, heavy-duty foil or sealed plastic storage bags.
Cooked chicken should be white, with no pink pieces of flesh. Pink flesh is a sign of undercooked chicken. This is a temperature range in which bacteria grows exponentially and increases the risk for foodborne illness 2. If you notice any visible signs of mold growth or color changes between the time you put the chicken in the refrigerate and when you intend to eat it, throw it away 2. It can be difficult to spot mold or color changes if there are any seasonings or dressings on the chicken.
If raw chicken is gray, green, or any color other than light pink, this is a sign it has gone bad. Cooked chicken should be white with no visible mold growth or residues.
Raw, fresh chicken will have a very mild smell or none at all. If your chicken has a very apparent smell, such as a sour or sulfur-like smell similar to rotten eggs, throw it out. So, look out for other signs of spoilage as well. Chicken that has gone bad will usually have a sour or sulfur-like smell.
Most often, fresh chicken has limited to no smell at all. If your hands have a slimy residue on them after touching raw chicken, this is a sign it has gone bad. Cooked chicken is firm and drier than raw chicken. Cooked chicken that has gone bad will usually be slimy, sticky, and overly soft. First, always look at the expiration date before purchasing chicken.
The first refers to the date the chicken was packaged and is intended for use by manufacturers and retailers, rather than consumers. This reduces the time it spends in your cart in the danger zone.
Before putting the chicken in the freezer, write the purchase date on the package to keep track 2 , 4. In the fridge, fresh uncooked chicken can last 1—2 days 2 , 4. If you have already cooked the chicken, you need to eat it within days, and you should always store it in the refrigerator.
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