Can you tell if the food is spoiled?

[HermitCrab]

Even there is an expiration date on the label, some of the food is still edible for 1 or 2 days after that. Most of the cooked food don't have a label on it so it's hard to tell.

I just found out recently that I cannot differentiate if the food is spoiled or edible. Unless there are visible mold or the changed color, or nasty smell, I really cannot tell.
I just eat them, found a strange taste, but hey, it's normal for a food to taste differently from fresh-cooked, right?
I even ate a very sour food that my grandmother cooked for me the day before, just complained that she used too much seasoning so it's get sour.

I just know this because when my partner asked me to taste if the food is still edible, I said yes after tasting it, but she said definitely no with just a small bite. We tried many other food after that, then reach a conclusion that I truly cannot tell if the food is still edible or not.

No wonder why I have food poisoning symptoms often even I think I didn't have a food poisoning. It is actually food poisoning.
Back in my university day, I even kept the food in my freezer over a week, defrosted and ate it, put the leftover back in the freezer then ate it later, repeat this again and again for week. I thought it's just the taste that changed from time through time. But it seems I might be wrong.

I'm quite sensitive to smell, can tell the seasonings and ingredient in the cooked food with a taste. But when it's come the taste of spoiled food, I really cannot tell.
I want to know if anyone also have similar problem like me?

 

[Judge]

Sounds somewhat like me, in being conscientious about expiration dates of edible products. In my case the one type of food at the top of the list would be eggs. That even though I'm conscious of their posted expiration dates on their cartons, I still test each and every egg I intend to cook by immersing it into water. If it drops to the bottom, then it's acceptable to eat. If it doesn't, I throw it out. I absolutely take no chance over getting food poisoning from eggs.

I've had food poisoning a few times...it ain't pretty!

In the case of most other foods, I simply make one consideration. Whether or not the food simply doesn't taste- or smell quite right. Even if it is subtle. Recently I bought some rather expensive Hawaiian bread that had no visible signs of mold, yet it had almost a soap-like scent to it. Upon tasting it, I simply surmised that despite whatever preservatives it had, that it needed to be tossed. Of course with bread if there are any visible signs of mold, that's an instant case of throwing it out. Even if it is within it's posted time of alleged "freshness".

The one scenario that continues to amaze me is in dried foods in boxes like rice or pasta, and some canned goods. Where their expiration dates may be several months old, yet the food as cooked still tasted fine with no ill effects on my part. I dared to eat a can of refried beans four months after their expiration. Smelled fine, tasted fine and I ate it all with no ill effects.

Probably my most routine problem remains vegetables in my refrigerator. Where all I can do is to look very closely for any signs of decay. And that more often than not I end up tossing out a lot of food never consumed because it simply remained in the fridge too long. Happens a lot with green pepper. I keep it as a garnish, but don't use it all that often. Though its decaying texture through touch as well as sight can also be a very clear indicator of spoilage. Same for tomatoes that often spoil in my refrigerator as well.

Things like old and stale candy bars or pastry products with no expiration dates can really irk me. Where the wrappings have no expiration or freshness dates at all. Yet the moment you bite into them, you know it's old, even if you also know they aren't likely to make you ill.

The taste of "freezer burn" also bothers me, though I can't say I've ever felt ill from eating such things. Just annoyed in being able to taste or even smell that something has gone bad through too much or improper wrapping while being refrigerated.

 

[Streetwise]

Yep quote from my mam (mum,mom)she was completely paralysed at this point "check the fridge she'll kill me with food poisoning "

 

[Tom]

I'm very careful about food safety. I learn the shelf-life or safe time everything can be kept in the fridge and follow it to the letter. If unsure, I throw it out.

As a result most things never get to the visably spoiled stage, which is fine with me. I am oversensitive to spoiled food smells and usually must get my wife to deal with it or I try and hold my breath when handling.

As a result I've only had food poisoning twice in my life, eating meals my older sister and wife had prepared. Both times was short duration illness, but very unpleasent. Now I try and keep track of things my wife prepares, without being a pest about it. If I am unsure on how long something she made has been in the fridge I will just tell her I am unsure and prepare something else. She understands. I have to cook most everyday anyway. I prepare very plain unspiced food and she likes much more diverse meals. So we have evolved into mainly different menus.

P.S. I also cook dinner for my 4 Chihuahuas and they have never complained once!

 

[Judge]

Something to consider.

Having underwritten products liability for many food product manufacturers, worrying about expiration dates of food and post-purchase spoilage considerations is often secondary to considering the condition of the product in question right out the factory door.

Where some of the edibles we may take for granted may amount to horror stories in terms of what transpires as they go from a factory floor or agricultural plot to the shelves in a market.

How do I spot good romaine lettuce from tarnished lettuce? I don't. I just refuse to even consider buying it at all.

 

[GadAbout]

Well, THIS certainly was a disgusting thread!

 

[Aspychata]

Freezer burn- l hate that taste.

Usually l smell food. That is usually a very strong indicator that tossing is the best option.

Looking at the item, discoloration is a easy sign to spot on vegetables and fruit.

 

[Raggamuffin]

If the smell is overpowering - then yes. Visual mould - I saw some once after I'd nearly finished eating a sandwich...

I once ate fizzy potato salad too.

Asides from my imagined danger, nothing actually happened.

Ed

 

[SusanLR]

I find it's always good to go by exp. dates, how fruits/vegetables look, any mold on bread or opened
bottles of dressings, and such.
I've had milk go bad way before the expiration date. I poured some on cereal not long ago and it looked
and smelled alright, had not expired, but, when I took one taste I knew it tasted sour.
Of course if milk or cream curdels when put in coffee or hot beverage, you know it's bad.
Better safe than sorry with any food. Just be attentive.

You can't always know if food is bad though. Salmonella, the worst type of food poisoning, most times
you don't know if food has it.
I got it once and landed me in the hospital for three days. I almost died and was one of the worst
experiences I've felt. I flat lined in ER. Then to get it out of my system in the hospital they said
my fever had to reach 103 degrees to naturally kill it out.
No tylenol to help and my head felt it would burst.
This came from a beef pot roast sandwich from a cafe beside where I worked.
I think the pot had set too long, but, I couldn't taste anything wrong.

Salmonella can be in canned foods and certain foods that are left out too long after cooking.
Especially mayonaise, fish and eggs.

 

[SDRSpark]

I have a hard time with this. Even if there's an odor, I won't be able to notice/differentiate it unless it's really bad. (When I worked at a deli, a coworker was horrified that I couldn't smell the fact that some meat was spoiled. Yikes. I really couldn't. It smelled normal to me.)

The weird thing is milk - it ALL smells sour to me, so I pretty much have to taste it. I'll drink sour milk until it goes REALLY bad lol. Only once it's really sour can I smell that it's sour (usually by then it's gotten chunky also). As far as I know I'm not lactose intolerant, but milk always smells off.

 

[SDRSpark]

I once ate fizzy potato salad too.

Asides from my imagined danger, nothing actually happened.

I've had fizzy potato salad! I thought I was nuts...I had bought it just that morning, so I kinda thought it was *supposed* to be fizzy, maybe, it had mustard powder in it and I thought I was interpreting that as fizzy. It was delicious. Then the next time I had it...it wasn't fizzy. Whoops. I guess I sat there and ate bad potato salad.

Nothing happened.

 

[watersprite]

I have had food poisoning once & want to avoid ever having it again. My general rule is to eat refrigerated leftovers within 1 day. If the amount in question is too much, then I’ll freeze a portion; which I write the contents and date on so as to keep track.
I stopped using those supposed freezer plastic bags. They are just as porous as the thin one & freezer smell still goes into them. Plus they’re bad for the envitonment. Instead, I wrap the food first in wax paper then very tightly in al foil. Most food will taste fine if used within a month, when wrapped like this & frozen. The only frozen food I keep longer than that is homemade chicken/veggie stock in glass canning jars.

 

[HermitCrab]

The one scenario that continues to amaze me is in dried foods in boxes like rice or pasta, and some canned goods. Where their expiration dates may be several months old, yet the food as cooked still tasted fine with no ill effects on my part. I dared to eat a can of refried beans four months after their expiration. Smelled fine, tasted fine and I ate it all with no ill effects.

I checked with google, many websites said it's fine to eat the canned goods if the can is still perfectly fine.

Things like old and stale candy bars or pastry products with no expiration dates can really irk me. Where the wrappings have no expiration or freshness dates at all. Yet the moment you bite into them, you know it's old, even if you also know they aren't likely to make you ill.

Do you feel the taste with the old bottle of water too? Because I can and feel like it leaves the taste of plastic in my mouth.

 

[HermitCrab]

As a result I've only had food poisoning twice in my life, eating meals my older sister and wife had prepared. Both times was short duration illness, but very unpleasent. Now I try and keep track of things my wife prepares, without being a pest about it. If I am unsure on how long something she made has been in the fridge I will just tell her I am unsure and prepare something else. She understands. I have to cook most everyday anyway. I prepare very plain unspiced food and she likes much more diverse meals. So we have evolved into mainly different menus.

P.S. I also cook dinner for my 4 Chihuahuas and they have never complained once!

I don't want to throw away any food, especially if someone cooked for me. So I end up sick often.
I always think I might imagine things, it's just slightly sour than usual...

Well, I think I understand your Chihuahuas, cooking for someone is a sign of love. So I want to appreciate it!

 

[HermitCrab]

Well, THIS certainly was a disgusting thread!

Sorry if I disturb your appetite
Well, if the food is clearly disgusting, I will know for sure. Don't worry.

 

[HermitCrab]

Freezer burn- l hate that taste.

Usually l smell food. That is usually a very strong indicator that tossing is the best option.

Looking at the item, discoloration is a easy sign to spot on vegetables and fruit.

I always have problems with cooked food. We put strong seasoning and spice here. So it's quite hard to tell from the smell and color, especially with hot red spicy food.

 

[HermitCrab]

Visual mould - I saw some once after I'd nearly finished eating a sandwich...

I ate recently bought bread and notice the mold after I ate half of them once.
Never buy anything from there again.

 

[HermitCrab]

Salmonella can be in canned foods and certain foods that are left out too long after cooking.
Especially mayonaise, fish and eggs.

They're my first choice of sandwich, I want to buy it for tomorrow breakfast. But my partner stops me every time. Oh, lucky me.

 

[unperson]

yes, I can tell if food is spoiled, it's mostly smell, or gluggly/odd appearance - like milk that is off has lumps in it....but taste is the third and final thing, usually sour or off, in some way. Its not all about date stamps, some foods last well beyond date stamp expiry, others not so much, it's correct storage, smell and taste. I've had 'friends' ask me if food is off cos they cant tell, so it's not just an autistic thing. these 'friends' were not autistic, just poor sense of smell.

I did 'home ec' at skewl which is food tech, have a food handling/hygiene certificate plus worked in food industry for ooh 5 years, have some interest in nutrition stuff. Generally foods that contain fat (eg dairy, brown rice as compared to white) will go off sooner than foods that don't. Salt and vinegar are preservatives so foods high in those qualities last longer (chutneys/sauces/pickles)

raw chicken, undercooked pork, eggs and salami are notorious sources of food poisoning. also some unwashed lettuces can cause food poisoning (listeria I think).
If you have a cast iron stomach, you can eat spoiled food that would trouble others.

maybe do a food handling and hygiene course at your local tech college. It's a life skill, and can lead to employment.

 

[HermitCrab]

I have a hard time with this. Even if there's an odor, I won't be able to notice/differentiate it unless it's really bad. (When I worked at a deli, a coworker was horrified that I couldn't smell the fact that some meat was spoiled. Yikes. I really couldn't. It smelled normal to me.)

The weird thing is milk - it ALL smells sour to me, so I pretty much have to taste it. I'll drink sour milk until it goes REALLY bad lol. Only once it's really sour can I smell that it's sour (usually by then it's gotten chunky also). As far as I know I'm not lactose intolerant, but milk always smells off.

If it's just a mild odor, I also cannot tell.
Hey, if I try to smell the milk, it all smells sour to me too!
Finally I find someone who's like me. I used to have a strong stomach too, but lately I get sick often. So you also should be careful.