The Meat Department Red Flag To Look Out For At The Grocery Store

"When in doubt, throw it out" is the adage most food safety and nutrition experts use to help consumers determine whether or not a food package is safe. But, what happens when you spot a package in your grocery store's meat department that appears to be bloated? Unfortunately, a bloated package may indicate the presence of harmful bacteria. While you'd be right to doubt the meat's safety, it's important to know the reasons why the package may be bloated and whether it's an indication that there's something fishy going on in that meat case.

There are few key reasons why a meat package could be bloated, not all of which are related to food safety. In high altitude areas, a food package can swell if the air pressure inside the package is greater than the outside air pressure. This often happens if you're carrying food from a low-altitude area to a high-altitude area. You may have seen the same phenomenon if you took a bag of chips with you on a plane.

Another benign reason why a food's package may appear bloated is the use of Modified Atmosphere Packaging. With MAP, the air inside packages of fresh foods like meat, poultry, fruits, and vegetables is replaced with a gas mixture of carbon dioxide and nitrogen to protect the foods' quality and safety.

Humans aren't the only ones that release gas when they have consumed too much. The same is true of bacteria, which release gas as they grow on impacted food. It's important to look for telltale signs your meat has gone bad. If you find a bloated meat package in your refrigerator, throw it out. Food-borne bacteria can be dangerous and it is not worth the risk. If you just purchased it from the grocery story, then bring it back to the store for a refund.

If you find a single package of meat that appears to be contaminated, consider it an anomaly at your grocery store. You can alert the department or store manager so they are aware of the problem. However, if you consistently find bloated meat packages or any other indications your grocery store's meat department is not keeping food safety in mind, then you may want to find another store. After all, your supermarket should be following the "when in doubt, throw it out" adage, too.