Can I eat this smoked duck breast?

January 14, 2021 2:30 PM

I bought smoked duck breast about 6 weeks ago. It has been in the fridge the whole time. Can I eat it?

The website says shelf life is 8 weeks but I don’t know how long it was on the shelves before I bought it. There is no date of any kind printed on it. I bought it from Imperfect Foods which sells ugly fruits/veggies as well as overstock of other items. I wonder if it was overstock if it might be older than usual. It smells fine. I tasted a little and it tastes fine. It was vacuum sealed. What’s the consensus?

posted by Waiting for Pierce Inverarity to Food & Drink (9 answers total)

Best answer: Use the contact form to email Imperfect and ask them. I also use Imperfect, and have contacted them twice about "I am an idiot and did not use this thing I specifically bought to avoid food waste, can I still eat it do you think." One time they said "yes, thanks for asking it should still be just fine!" and linked to their blog post about short dating. The other time they said "oh no! do not eat that! we'll give you a credit on your next purchase, please don't eat that."

They are good people with helpful info! Use them!
posted by phunniemee at 2:35 PM on January 14, 2021 [6 favorites]

Best answer: Is it cured as well as smoked or only smoked? (NB: It might say "uncured" but then the ingredients list celery, celery extract, or celery salt, which is a labeling loophole)

Was the vacuum seal intact with no apparent pressure buildup inside?

If so, I'd eat it, though I'd try to use it quickly now that it's opened.

If you want some extra safety you can use it in a hot preparation such as a soup, stew, or hash that involves heating it above 140ºF.
posted by jedicus at 2:36 PM on January 14, 2021 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: It is cured, has nitrates and other preservatives, packaging was intact.
posted by Waiting for Pierce Inverarity at 2:37 PM on January 14, 2021

Sounds fine, I'd eat that. You could also eat another bite or two and wait until tomorrow to eat the rest, provided no issues present (if you're feeling cagey but also don't want to waste good duck).
posted by SaltySalticid at 2:48 PM on January 14, 2021 [3 favorites]

I'd agree, safe to eat unless there's some kind of discoloration or gas inside. It's definitely meant to last a long time, especially in the fridge!
posted by BlackLeotardFront at 2:52 PM on January 14, 2021 [1 favorite]

The website you linked says the shelf life is 8 weeks.
posted by Kutsuwamushi at 7:09 PM on January 14, 2021

Oops, sorry, here I am pointing out something you didn't see, only you actually did see it and I'm the one that wasn't paying attention.

If they don't have a packing or use by date on their products, I think that's something you might want to point out to them when you contact them. It does suggest that "eight weeks" is pretty flexible though.
posted by Kutsuwamushi at 7:11 PM on January 14, 2021

8 weeks seems like an extremely conservative estimate, smoked and cured meats often stay fresh a lot longer than that. Definitely enjoy it!
posted by sparringnarwhal at 9:57 AM on January 15, 2021

Smoked and cured meats are basically good unless it has mold growing on it or something. I wouldn't hesitate to eat this even weeks after the 'best by' date.
posted by bradbane at 8:35 PM on January 15, 2021