What is raw chicken supposed to smell like?

[lilylover]

Just opened up a package of chicken that has been in my fridge since Monday, when I brought it home from the grocery store. The package says sell/freeze by June 22. I am paranoid about getting food poisoning, or eating something bad, so I held it up to my nose and sniffed it. It has an odor. I would describe it as smelling like a glass of milk.

Is that normal? I called up my mom and she says it''s just the protein that I am smelling, and if it was bad I would KNOW and not have to stick my nose right up to it to smell the "rancidness". She says that if it was bad I would have smelled it as soon as I opened up the package.

What do you guys think? It''s a big package and I paid a lot of it. Dont have my receipt anymore so I can''t take it back. How do I know for sure if it''s spoiled?

 

[cellentani]

"glass of milk" is a good way to describe a fresh raw chicken smell, and your mom is right - the odor of rancid chicken is foul and unmistakable. I check the sell-by date of meat packages in the grocery, but always follow up with a quick sniff just to make sure.

 

[princesss]

Date: 6/19/2010 10:20:28 PM
Author: cellentani
''glass of milk'' is a good way to describe a fresh raw chicken smell, and your mom is right - the odor of rancid chicken is foul and unmistakable. I check the sell-by date of meat packages in the grocery, but always follow up with a quick sniff just to make sure.

Glad somebody had an answer! I kept reading the subject thinking, "It smells like....chicken...."

 

[yssie]

If it''s gone bad you''ll know, it''s not a mild or moderate odour by any definition

 

[movie zombie]

you''d know: its a really strong, foul smell from a foot away.

just cook it now, boil or roast, doesn''t matter and make sure it is done.

mz

 

[Cehrabehra]

I have had to adjust to a new chicken smell here. In the states when you open it up it should smell almost like nothing... if it smells a little but not bad it''s probably okay... here it smells like fresh death. It''s creepy but the stuff is fresher and better than anything I''ve ever had in the states.

 

[Cehrabehra]

oh and it''s possible your chicken has picked up odors from your fridge and freezer... if it doesn''t smell bad it''s probably fine. When it thaws cut away any white parts and don''t worry!

 

[Callisto]

Especially since you opened it up before for the use by date I''m pretty confident is totally fine. Those dates are very safe so if it says use by the 22nd its prolly good til the end of the month. Just make sure it is throughly cooked and there shouldn''t be an issue.

 

[Haven]

I deal with a lot of raw chicken because we feed our dog a raw diet. Everyone else is right--if the meat was bad, there would be no doubt about it.

How are you going to prepare it?

 

[elrohwen]

It sounds fine to me. You would know if it had gone bad - the odor would be very strong.

I''m of the mindset that things never go bad as fast as the package label indicates - the labels are meant to be safe, and have quite a buffer before the date the meat will actually be bad (at least a few days, if not a week). It''s not like there''s a time bomb in there waiting to go off at exactly the date listed on the package.

 

[MissMina]

To me chicken that is "turning" smells like wet plaster.
And it has a "slimy" feel.

 

[Tuckins1]

It really shouldn''t smell like anything. If it has a discernible "odor", then TOSS IT!!!! Not worth the risk of salmonella!!!

 

[Hudson_Hawk]

rancid chicken is one of the nastiest stenches ever! If it smells like milk, or even a little eggy then it''s OK for consumption.

Next time put it in the freezer unless you know you''re going to eat it right away. I''m really paranoid about chicken and so I''d rather take the time to freeze and defrost if I''m not eating that night, than have to throw it away because I suspect it''s past its prime.

 

[Amber St. Clare]

I would throw it away if it''s been sitting in the marinating in its container for that long.

I had salmonella poisoning and i DON''T TAKE ANY CHANCES anymore.

 

[lilyfoot]

Date: 6/20/2010 5:46:38 PM
Author: Hudson_Hawk
rancid chicken is one of the nastiest stenches ever! If it smells like milk, or even a little eggy then it''s OK for consumption.

Next time put it in the freezer unless you know you''re going to eat it right away. I''m really paranoid about chicken and so I''d rather take the time to freeze and defrost if I''m not eating that night, than have to throw it away because I suspect it''s past its prime.

I always put all the meat I buy in the freezer, unless I''m certain that I''m cooking it that same day, or the next. I''m really paranoid about that type of stuff too!

 

[steph72276]

When in doubt, throw it out! I wouldn''t take any chances. I always cook meat within a day or two or freeze it.