Can I eat this: chorizo edition

September 16, 2024 5:03 PM

I bought this several months ago from a local store. It has remained in the refrigerator since then. I thought I’d finally use it tonight and saw the “sell by May 1.” I am very aware that selling is not the same thing as eating, but still.

Anxiety has kicked in and I need answers. Thank you in advance for your help.

images here

posted by bunderful to Food & Drink (10 answers total)

I personally wouldn’t, no. I am fairly leery of keeping meat products unfrozen for more than a few weeks normally.
posted by GenjiandProust at 5:12 PM on September 16 [2 favorites]

I don't know how good of a resource this is, but it sounds like you probably shouldn't eat that.
posted by limeonaire at 5:23 PM on September 16

Ground meat (ie, the inside of a sausage, or any kind of meat patty) has high surface area - meaning bacteria love it because there are so many places to play. It also gets tons of handling during manufacture, which can introduce bacteria deep within it. Those factors mean it's a high risk for foodborne illness. I'd chuck it!
posted by nouvelle-personne at 5:24 PM on September 16 [6 favorites]

Refrigerator safe time for meats is measured in days. Generally single digit days.

You don’t want any part of that.
posted by Tell Me No Lies at 5:29 PM on September 16 [4 favorites]

Please don't eat that. There may be exceptions but generally, "Sell By" indicates that food will be inedible just a few days later.
posted by toucan at 5:33 PM on September 16

Best answer: For this type of product, factory-sealed and with a lot of salt and other somewhat preserving ingredients, I would not be as careful as with, say, fresh meat from a butcher or deli. So I might be comfortable using this a week or two after the date listed.

But I just double-checked and... dude, it’s September. You cannot eat that.
posted by staggernation at 5:50 PM on September 16 [9 favorites]

Response by poster: Thanks everyone. It is bound for the trash.
posted by bunderful at 6:06 PM on September 16 [3 favorites]

It's a running gag in our household how I will eat food that's plenty old and expired, although sometimes I do glance at my calendar first to see if I'm risking a missed social event that evening if things go ... awry.

But even I wouldn't eat that.

(And I think nouvelle-personne also deserves a best-answer nod for their comment.)
posted by intermod at 8:41 PM on September 16

As an aside, part of my answer is based on the assumption that this was an uncooked (but maybe cured, to some degree) meat product — there are sausages where the production is geared toward preservation and can be good for a surprisingly long time as long as their casings aren’t broken. This style of sausage isn’t that, since it requires refrigeration, but knowing the difference is helpful for sausage-eaters.
posted by GenjiandProust at 4:38 AM on September 17

Ah I would eat those sausages. But I have a lot of faith in the efficacy of preserved meats for longterm safe storage, especially if it's salty and still sealed.
posted by spamandkimchi at 12:25 PM on September 17