Smoked Salmon out of date

Whenever the discussion is about food safety I always think of the Lanarkshire tragedy of 1997 when at least 20 died and many others seriously ill.

Killer food bug's legacy of suffering www.theguardian.com/news/1999/feb/10/food.foodanddrink?CMP=share_btn_url

When we had a cooked chicken recently I threw the whole lot into the back yard after a couple of days ( when we had eaten it ). By morning every single bit had disappeared,including all the bones. Something’s hungry. Could be possum,fox or birds but I never see which it is. We do have a big backyard and it is like the proverbial zoo round here. It’s not dogs because all dogs are captive and not allowed to roam in this fair land and the same applies to cats. No freedom for either.

Thank you Welbeck. That would have taken me a long time..weeks maybe... to remember. Sunk cost fallacy of course.

I certainly wouldn't risk the smoked salmon. My father always used to say "How much did it cost? Is it worth being ill for that amount of money?" Ironically he was the only one of us who ever had food poisoning. It was in the days before food had dates, and he cooked himself some sausages that were in the fridge. Unfortunately he had lost his sense of smell and didn't realise that they were off,

Casdon

Smoked salmon contains bacteria from the off MaizieD, because generally it is not cooked, it is cold smoked. The bacteria can include listeria, which is why vulnerable people should not eat it. Hot-smoked salmon is obviously safer.

I recall from my ancient food hygiene certificate that, given the right conditions, bacteria can multiply at a very fast rate, dividing every 20 minutes.

I'm aware that vacuum sealed smoked salmon kept in a fridge is not optimum conditions for food poisoning bacteria, but I then assume that they do multiply, albeit very slowly, and that a 'use by' date is calculated on an anticipated bacterial load which is considered to be non hazardous?

This whole issue intrigues me.. any bacteriologists here?

Joplin re giving the cat out of date salmon, the cats round here eat out of the food bins! I am certain some of the food would be well out of date!

I ate some French cream cheese my DD gave to me past its date after a little while in my fridge, and I thought she had had it in her freezer then fridge.
It certainly smelled fine and I gobbled it up. I was so ill and what made it worse was I cannot now vomit after hiatus hernia surgery, so it took longer to go away..,.

Smoked salmon contains bacteria from the off MaizieD, because generally it is not cooked, it is cold smoked. The bacteria can include listeria, which is why vulnerable people should not eat it. Hot-smoked salmon is obviously safer.

I'm sorry, but I don't understand why people should think that food which has been properly (hygienically?) prepared and sold in sealed packaging would be harbouring bacteria? Where has it got them from?

HelterSkelter1
? sunk cost fallacy ?

Throw it out you can die from food poisoning you know! Is it worth the risk?

I agree Joplin if it's not safe enough for me it's not safe enough for pets nor wild life.
Bin it and just pretend in your mind youve eaten it. No difference. The money was wasted/spent when you bought it. Trying to think of the name of the theory that explains this is defeating my brain this morning despite 2 coffees.

I think you have binned it so this thread can go to bed now.

Amazed that some of you would chance risking the health of animals or wildlife with food that may be “off”. Don’t they need some consideration ? Not as if they might have a vet on hand if they become very ill!

Funny but I have the same in my fridge. I feel too nervous about eating it and the cats have turned their noses up ( very fussy pussies ) so I am about to throw it. Shame ,because it cost a fair bit. Maybe the birds would eat it a?

Threw it away??? Oh dear -- no friends or neighbours with a suitable cat? Or dog perhaps, we've never had one, but I'm told lots of dogs like fish?!

Bin it.

Yes MaisieD You are of course right about “best before” and “use by dates”, and I should have said *use by”.
You are probably right about sealed packs of smoked refrigerated fish too.
What I am concerned about is going by the look, smell and taste alone, which is very unreliable.

Totally agree with you!
Everyone is obsessed with these date things!
What did our mums do ? Nah if it smells ok then it is

I'm glad you threw it away. I wouldn't risk out of date fish. It might still smell alright but be harbouring bacteria that you wouldn't want in your body.

Bought my other half some for Christmas, dated use by 25/12, but when he opened one was definitely off and the other pack was fine, he ate it and he's still here! But don't think he would have been if he'd eaten the first pack, use your sense of smell and common sense. Next time I won't buy if it's on to use by date. Couldn't find anything with later date.

Am glad I am not the only nerd on here! If it says a certain date I will not eat it the following day!
Mind you I would give the cat the salmon!!

I would chance it if just a day or 2 out of date but that is too much for it to be worth the risk.

I may have put it outside for wildlife possibly.

Sarnia

Chucking it out will be preferable to chucking it up.

Yes.
Throw it. No way would I chance fish or meat.

Best to take note of best before dates.

Best Before dates do not mean 'this will kill you if you eat it a day over the BB date' . They just imply that the item will be in optimum condition until that date.

Use By dates should be taken more seriously, though even they have a wider margin of safety.

Smoking is a very old method of food preservation which works by creating conditions under which bacteria cannot live in the foodstuff.

If the salmon was still in its sealed packet and had been kept in the fridge I would have eaten it without any worry. If it had been opened and part used I would have binned it as opening it could expose it to harmful bacteria.

While Best Before and Use By dates probably do contribute to fewer episodes of food poisoning, they also contribute to a great deal of food waste with food being discarded the minute they pass the dates when in fact, they'd be fine to eat a day later.

We have to be sensible about them.

Bin it. I had some feta cheese opened 2 days ago and still in date which smelled of old feet. I threw it out.