Keeping some salmon on hand for use in your favorite dishes or for cooking up as a fast meal when you’re not sure what else to make is an excellent idea. However, if you keep salmon around often enough, you’ll eventually run into the difficult and frustrating question: Has this salmon gone bad?
No one wants to eat fish that’s off. That’s just a recipe for a nasty case of food-borne illness. So how do you know if salmon is bad? Here’s what to watch for.
What Makes Salmon Go Bad?
Salmon can be considered “bad” when it’s reached a point where it’s no longer enjoyable, or even safe, to eat. Salmon can go bad due to improper handling, improper storage, bacteria growth or just old age (after all, you keep anything in your fridge or freezer long enough and it will start to deteriorate).
When wondering how to tell if salmon is bad, there are a few important things to look for.
How to Tell if Salmon Has Gone Bad: APPEARANCE
How do you know when salmon is bad? One of the key giveaways is appearance. So what does bad salmon look like?
Salmon that’s old or spoiled will often look dull or grayish (compared to the bright pink hue of fresh, high-quality salmon). In addition to an overall unappetizing appearance, the salmon may have dark spots or even mold, or other white, filmy residues.
Beyond the color of the salmon, if you’re examining a whole salmon, you can take a look at the eyes. The eyes may seem sunken or filmy if your salmon has gone bad.
Look at the shape, too. Is the salmon slightly curved rather than straight? That could also be a sign that it's gone bad as well.
How to Tell if Salmon Has Gone Bad: TEXTURE
Is the appearance of your whole salmon or salmon filet not enough to convince you that it is or is not spoiled? You can also examine the salmon’s texture.
Press into the filet and then remove your finger. Does the flesh spring back into place? Does it feel firm? If not, your filet may be spoiled. Salmon that's gone bad will often feel almost like it’s about to fall apart, or sometimes mushy.
Other things to watch for when examining your fish by touch are slimy or sticky residues, both indicators of spoilage.
How to Tell if Salmon Has Gone Bad: SMELL
Smell is often a dead giveaway for spoiled salmon. Fresh salmon should have little to no smell. That’s right — the best fish doesn't smell particularly fishy. It's the bad fish that smells strongly of that characteristic “fishy” smell.
Beyond “fishy” aromas, if you take a whiff of your salmon and notice any hints of ammonia, or anything rancid or sour, do yourself a favor and toss it.
Sell-by vs. Use-by Date
It’s simple to assume that the date on your salmon’s packaging is a clear indicator of your salmon's freshness, but that's not always the case. Before you read a past date and toss perfectly-good salmon in the bin, look a little closer. Is the date on your salmon’s packaging a sell-by or a use-by date?
A use-by date is just that: the date by which you should’ve used up all of your raw salmon, for peak freshness and the least risk of food-borne illness. However, a sell-by date gives you a little more time. After the sell-by date, you should have one to two extra days to eat the fish, as it’s typically considered safe to keep in your refrigerator for one to two days after purchase.
Risks of Eating Bad Salmon
So now you know how to know when salmon is bad, which means you can mitigate the risks of eating bad salmon. But are you thinking about risking it and cooking up the iffy salmon anyway? You might want to reconsider.
According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, there are two types of food poisoning you can get from fish, ciguatera poisoning and scombroid poisoning. Signs of ciguatera poisoning include gastrointestinal distress, muscle aches, headache, itching, numbness, temperature fluctuations or even a metallic taste in your mouth. Signs of scombroid poisoning include gastrointestinal distress, flushing and hives.
Can Cooking Bad Salmon Kill the Bacteria?
It makes sense that cooking your bad salmon would kill all of the illness-causing bacteria and allow you to eat your salmon as planned, but that’s unfortunately not the case. While heat can kill food-borne bacteria,many bacteria produce poisons and toxins. The cooking process won’t kill off these poisons and toxins, leaving you vulnerable to food-borne illnesses.
How Long Will Salmon Stay Fresh in the Fridge or Freezer?
This all depends on how fresh your salmon is when you get it. Was it something you purchased at the grocery store that has already been thawed out, or did you purchase your salmon directly from the fisherman that was flash-frozen? If you bought it at the grocery store, it’ll have a very short shelf life, so we recommend eating it the day you purchase it. If you bought it from a well known source that was flash-frozen immediately after harvest, you will be able to store it in the fridge for 5 days after thawing it out!
Alaskan Salmon Company ships salmon that is vacuum-sealed and flash-frozen and if you decide to store it in your freezer it will last up to 3 years! However sometimes due to handling or temperature fluctuations, the seal can break and we recommend eating it within one year to enjoy all of the amazing nutrients and flavor!
Wherever you put it, store your salmon properly to prevent spoilage and bacteria growth. Store your salmon below 40 degrees Fahrenheit in the fridge, and in tight plastic or foil in the freezer. Then, be sure to properly thaw your salmon before cooking.
The Best Salmon Starts at the Source
While any salmon can go bad under the right circ*mstances, you can limit your chances of running into some spoiled salmon in your fridge by purchasing fresh, high-quality salmon that you can trust has been handled and shipped safely. Alaskan Salmon Company’s wild-caught salmon is sourced from the clean, icy waters of the Copper River and then flash-frozen to retain freshness and quality. It arrives at your doorstep ready to thaw and cook.
Get fresh Alaskan Salmon straight to your door from our fishermenand keep an eye on our blog to learn more about safe salmon handling and cooking techniques.
FAQs
If the salmon smells fishy, sour or ammonia-like, then it's gone bad. Appearance: Fresh salmon fillets should be bright pink or orange with no discoloration, darkening or drying around the edges. If you notice any dull or gray coloring, dark spots or filmy white residue, then it's a sign that the salmon has spoiled.
How do I know if my salmon is spoiled? ›
Salmon that is old or spoiled will look dull or gray and may have a white, filmy residue. In addition, it will have fishy or ammonia-like odor and a mushy or slimy texture.
What does bad salmon look like cooked? ›
Touch your leftover cooked salmon to see if it has a slimy or mushy consistency, or if there is a white film on the meat—if any of these things are true, then your salmon has gone bad.
What will happen if I eat bad salmon? ›
There are two types of food poisoning you can get from eating fish. They are ciguatera poisoning and scombroid poisoning. Ciguatera poisoning symptoms include abdominal cramps, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Symptoms can progress to headache, muscle aches, and itchy, tingly, or numbness of the skin.
Is it safe to eat salmon with dark spots? ›
Black spots on salmon are often a cause for concern among consumers. These spots, which can appear on the skin or flesh of the fish, are often mistaken for signs of spoilage or disease. However, recent studies have shown that these spots are actually harmless and can be safely consumed.
How long is raw salmon good in the fridge? ›
How Long Does Raw Salmon Last In the Fridge? The USDA recommends consuming raw salmon in the fridge within 1 to 2 days. The fridge's temperature is also important — make sure it is set to 40 degrees F or below.
How to tell if raw fish is bad? ›
The best way to determine if fish has gone bad is to smell it. If the fish smells sour or spoiled, throw it out. If the fish has a mild ocean smell, it's likely safe to eat—but if you aren't certain, there are other signs you can look for. For example, it's bad fish if it appears or feels slimy and/or has a dull color.
How do you know if you shouldn't eat salmon? ›
A bad fishy smell or slimy, milky coating is a sign that the salmon is off. A very fresh salmon will have clear rather than cloudy eyes, firm flesh that bounces back when touched and the skin should feel wet but not slimy. The gills will also be bright red.
Can you eat week old salmon? ›
Raw fish and shellfish should be kept in the refrigerator (40 °F/4.4 °C or less) only 1 or 2 days before cooking or freezing. After cooking, store seafood in the refrigerator 3 to 4 days. Any frozen fish or shellfish will be safe indefinitely; however, the flavor and texture will lessen after lengthy storage.
Is it okay if salmon is a little undercooked? ›
Can you eat undercooked salmon? It is not recommended to eat undercooked or raw salmon. Consuming undercooked or raw salmon can put you at risk of foodborne illness, specifically an infection with the parasite known as Anisakis.
Albumin is a liquid protein that solidifies when the fish is cooked, seeping out as the muscle fibers contract under heat, becoming thick and a bright white. Think of your salmon as a wet towel being rung out. The wringing is the heat and the water being pushed out is that white stuff you're seeing.
How to tell if frozen salmon is bad? ›
Texture Signs:
Press down on the flesh lightly. If it springs back, it is safe to eat. But, if the flesh stays dimpled, stay away from it. Do not eat salmon with fragile texture.
Why is my salmon turning brown in the freezer? ›
Dehydration can result in freezer burn—bleached spots, papery or cottony edges and a dry texture. Oxidation causes the flesh to turn yellow and then brown. Dehydration and oxidation are not health hazards but do indicate poor eating quality. Generally, damaged packaging indicates rough handling and the entry of air.
What color salmon is safe to eat? ›
Is “color added” safe? Though the color additives in farmed salmon are concerning, of perhaps greater concern are the conditions in which the fish are often raised and the high likelihood of contamination. They are packed tightly into small tanks or sea nets and are often exposed to excessive chemicals and disease.
What is the color of raw salmon? ›
The first indicator of fresh salmon is its colour: it should always be a lovely, bright pinkish-orange hue. While colours can vary slightly according to salmon species, the key is the brightness of the meat. If your salmon looks dull, pale or discolored, it is not fresh at all and could be spoiled.
How do you know salmon has gone bad? ›
If the salmon smells fishy, sour or ammonia-like, then it's gone bad. Appearance: Fresh salmon fillets should be bright pink or orange with no discoloration, darkening or drying around the edges. If you notice any dull or gray coloring, dark spots or filmy white residue, then it's a sign that the salmon has spoiled.
Can I cook salmon thats been in the fridge for 5 days? ›
We generally advise to use leftover salmon within three to four days of cooking. After that, you run the risk of eating spoiled seafood. To help you enjoy leftover salmon before it spoils, we've compiled a list of easy leftover salmon recipes you can make with cooked salmon.
Can you eat salmon 2 days expired? ›
After the sell-by date, you should have one to two extra days to eat the fish, as it's typically considered safe to keep in your refrigerator for one to two days after purchase.
What happens if you accidentally eat bad fish? ›
Symptoms occur rapidly, usually within an hour of eating spoiled fish, and typically include flushing, itching, rash, headache, rapid or irregular heartbeat, dizziness, sweating, burning of the mouth and throat, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal cramps.
What happens if you cook spoiled fish? ›
The Bottom Line. Scombroid poisoning occurs when people eat fish that were not properly stored. The appearance and taste of the fish is usually normal and cooking or freezing the fish cannot prevent scombroid. Scombroid poisoning can be scary and uncomfortable, but most people recover with simple treatment.
If the salmon smells sour or ammonia, it's probably gone bad. 3、Texture: Cooked salmon that feels slimy or mushy could indicate it's no longer fresh. 4、Taste: If salmon doesn't taste right, bitter or rancid, it's probably spoiled.
How can you tell if raw salmon is safe to eat? ›
Raw Salmon Risks You Should Know
If you plan to eat raw salmon, it's best to eat fish that has been frozen or flash-frozen. The freezing process can kill parasites that may be present in the fish, so this minimizes your risk.
How do you tell if salmon is over or undercooked? ›
Firmness: When you press down gently on the flesh with a fork or your finger, it should feel slightly resistant but still give way easily. Cooked salmon should be firm but still moist. If the salmon is still hard or resists your fork, it needs more time to cook. If it is dry, it may be overcooked.
When should you throw away leftover salmon? ›
Cooked salmon boasts a longer shelf life, remaining palatable for three to four days after being prepared. This makes it an ideal candidate for delightful leftovers.
How can you tell if cured salmon is bad? ›
How do you know if smoked salmon has gone bad? Check for a strong, unpleasant odor and any signs of sliminess or a mushy texture to check if your salmon has gone bad. Look for discoloration or the presence of mold. If the taste is off or unpleasant, it is best to discard the smoked salmon.
