Any way to tell if you have no sense of smell, or at least a really bad sense of smell, as I currently do due to chronic sinus problems?
I can smell really, really strong things, but more subtle smells now elude me. I bought a chicken to roast not too long ago, but now it’s been a bit longer than I originally planned. I’m going to cook it, but other than “how long has it been in the fridge,” is there any other way to tell if it’s ok to eat?
A good friend of mine lost his sense of smell due to a motorcycle crash that caused a small skull fracture. He says he can taste a really ripe smell. So, inhale over your tongue, and you may be able to tell.
Smell is not a reliable indicator of whether or not meat is safe to eat; the bacteria and other processes that cause food to turn stinky are not necessarily the same, and do not necessarily develop at the same rate, as the pathogens that cause food poisoning.
Having said that, most chickens are unsafe to eat anyway, which is why we cook them thoroughly to destroy the harmful bacteria. There are bacteria that can survive incomplete cooking by going into spore, or those that build up toxins in the food that will not be destroyed by brief cooking, but food that has been properly stored is less likely to contain dangerous levels.
If the meat has been properly refrigerated all the time and if you cook it thoroughly (ideally testing the thickest part with a thermometer probe), you should be fine.