# Why does bacon go bad so quickly? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 11, 2016, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-bacon-go-bad-so-quickly/774401 "2016-12-11T00:42:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2016, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-bacon-go-bad-so-quickly/774401/41 "2016-12-11T19:48:27Z")
> [@IvoryTowerDenizen](#): > > I find it amusing that since you never look for it, and don’t see it, it must be gone. Ah well. I don’t. My supermarket bacon doesn’t go bad quickly at all. But I re-wrap open bacon very well (at least 2 layers of plastic wrap with as little air as possible) and my fridge is kept at 38º. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2016, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-bacon-go-bad-so-quickly/774401/42 "2016-12-11T19:58:22Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > My parents always cut the mold off cheese and ate the cheese. > > I’ve heard that’s not recommended anymore. Supposedly mold has deep roots that gets into the cheese. Never heard that; it sounds like an old wives’ tale. I always cut mold off and use the rest. Your claim needs a valid cite, especially since I have never become sick from such action or known anyone who did. Besides, even if your claim is true, you also need to prove that eating invisible mold in small quantities is harmful or the objection is only aesthetic, not medical. Don’t forget…Blu Cheese uses mold for flavor, so it can’t be all bad. > [@](#): > > I do remember when cheese was sold with a wax coating. To seal out any air and keep it fresh. I think the wax coating idea predated shrinkwrap. Most of the cheese I buy at local [Renard’s](https://www.renardscheese.com/) is shrinkwrapped, but some is in wax. Wax is a little harder to work with for the consumer, and modern shrinkwrap is very good and tight. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2016, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-bacon-go-bad-so-quickly/774401/43 "2016-12-11T20:26:09Z")
Cutting mold off hard cheeses is fine. You just don’t want to do with soft (like cream cheese or cottage cheese) because the mold isn’t contained in the same way. It’s impossible to know if you got it all. FWIW, there are molds that are edible and molds that are not. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2016, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-bacon-go-bad-so-quickly/774401/44 "2016-12-11T22:50:27Z")
> [@jtur88](#): > > The USDA has a strict mandate to give the absolutely most conservative food advice that it is possible to support at the most extreme fringe of the fraidy-cats. It’s called Covering Their Ass. If they said anything else, they would be blamed for every mild digestive disorder and there would be talk of impeachment… > > The OP did not specify just how sick they got. Absent any comment to the contrary, I’m assuming it was a mild feeling of digestive upset and, at worst, maybe a fleeting irregularity of bowel movements, and felt fine after 12 hours or less… No, it can indeed kill you. It’s called food poisoning. My cousin’s wife is a doctor. She told my dad that when he insisted you can just cut mold off of anything – bread products are especially vulnerable. You want to eat spoiled food? Be my guest. But this kind of advice is grossly irresponsible. (Any doctors or nurses around?) Jesus fucking Christ! ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2016, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-bacon-go-bad-so-quickly/774401/45 "2016-12-12T03:02:31Z")
I’ve always had a phobia about food poisoning. If in doubt, throw it out. I readily admit there are times that I’ve thrown out potentially good food. But I rather toss a few dollars away in food then get a expensive hospital bill. I slipped up by not thinking to check the expiration date on the bacon. It’s one of those foods that usually gets cooked and eaten regularly. It doesn’t get an opportunity to spoil. I’ll be more careful from now on. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2016, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-bacon-go-bad-so-quickly/774401/46 "2016-12-12T03:38:36Z")
> [@elbows](#): > > You ate some meat a full month past it’s ‘best before date’, and you’re wondering why it doesn’t last longer? > > What? No matter how long it lasts, eating any meat product four weeks past its expiry date is beyond foolish. The problem is not it’s short shelf life but your inability to understand best before dates, it seems. > > The dates would indicate it was good for several weeks. Sorry it wasn’t good for several weeks PLUS over a month, but that seems a wholly unreasonable expectation to me. > > The bacon at the supermarket is, in no way, cured as the settlers did, to last all winter without refrigeration. How is a grown adult not aware of that? How can a grown adult serve meat a month past it’s eat by date, to another person, in good conscience? > > And then bitch because it should keep longer? Um, no, just no! **[Moderator note]** Cool it, **elbows**. I realize that you’re criticizing the behavior rather than the poster, which is just this side of the line, but the tone is unnecessary in Cafe Society. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2016, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-bacon-go-bad-so-quickly/774401/47 "2016-12-12T03:44:41Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > No, it can indeed kill you. It’s called food poisoning. My cousin’s wife is a doctor. [Don’t](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=19689325#post19689325) [bother](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=19705771#post19705771). ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2016, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-bacon-go-bad-so-quickly/774401/48 "2016-12-12T03:52:54Z")
> [@Skywatcher](#): > > [Don’t](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=19689325#post19689325) [bother](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=19705771#post19705771). Jesus, you’re not kidding. Someone should invoke the handy clause or something. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2016, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-bacon-go-bad-so-quickly/774401/49 "2016-12-12T15:08:18Z")
If you are buying bacon and leave it sitting in your fridge for months…you’re not doing bacon right. Bacon is meant to be eaten. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2016, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-bacon-go-bad-so-quickly/774401/50 "2016-12-12T20:07:03Z")
> [@elbows](#): > > The bacon at the supermarket is, in no way, cured as the settlers did, to last all winter without refrigeration. It’s still cured, but not as heavily, and not dried at all. Part of that is because drying makes it weigh less (weight = $$$), and part is because traditionally cured bacon is salty as hell and typically requires a bit of par-boiling to draw out some of the salt (have made it from scratch actually. Be that as it may, it’s still very salty, and gains a little extra shelf life relative to the same amount of uncured pork. According to [eatbydate.com](http://eatbydate.com), fresh pork is only good for a day or two in the fridge past the sell-by date, while bacon is good for a week past the sell-by date. But a month past the date? No wonder the OP got the shits. ---
**Author:** ![Dag\_Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@Dag\_Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dag_Otto)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2016, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-bacon-go-bad-so-quickly/774401/51 "2016-12-13T06:17:57Z")
> [@Omar\_Little](#): > > If you are buying bacon and leave it sitting in your fridge for months…you’re not doing bacon right. > > Bacon is meant to be eaten. Yeah, the OP should just buy the 1 pound packages. You know, the single serving size. ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2016, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-bacon-go-bad-so-quickly/774401/52 "2016-12-14T20:10:01Z")
> [@TruCelt](#): > > As for the OP, I have the same question about cheese and yogurt. I always thought they were created as ways to preserve milk and use it to survive outside the growing season. I grow my own milk at home. Over the years I’ve kind of created my own strain. I find it not unpleasant. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2016, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-bacon-go-bad-so-quickly/774401/53 "2016-12-15T01:19:06Z")
> [@Drunky\_Smurf](#): > > I grow my own milk at home. Over the years I’ve kind of created my own strain. I find it not unpleasant. Have your nipples toughened up? ---
**Author:** ![Purd\_Werfect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e47c2d/32.png) [@Purd\_Werfect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Purd_Werfect)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2016, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-bacon-go-bad-so-quickly/774401/54 "2016-12-15T06:20:25Z")
**Why does bacon go bad so quickly?** I always just assumed it was a lack of responsible role models. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2016, 9:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-bacon-go-bad-so-quickly/774401/55 "2016-12-15T09:52:11Z")
> [@Purd\_Werfect](#): > > **Why does bacon go bad so quickly?** > > I always just assumed it was a lack of responsible role models. Well, when they’re smoking from such a young age, what can you expect? ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2016, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-bacon-go-bad-so-quickly/774401/56 "2016-12-16T19:14:25Z")
> [@Muffin](#): > > That’s interesting advice you offer. I had never previously though of food poisoning as a such a macho political statement before. > > That explains Devine’s drag queen breakout role of eating fresh dog shit in the closing scene of Pink Flamingos. The shit was not even USDA approved. He’s being a bit of a zealot, but there is a real issue with food being thrown out unnecessarily. There is a lot of food wastage in this country. There are people who do make it a political issue, both pushing for education on how to know if food is bad–knowing the real signs of food going bad, and knowing the difference in best by, sell by, and expiration dates. Others just push the idea that said food should be given to the less fortunate, and that laws should not punish people who go dumpster diving for such extreme wastage, like stores that get rid of food that’s past the sell by date but still not expired. And, of course, there are those “bent and dent” stores that do try to make money off this stuff. My local one is run by Mennonites, who, like the Amish, put a lot of value into avoiding wastage. And it’s the type of business they can run the way they like. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2016, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-bacon-go-bad-so-quickly/774401/57 "2016-12-16T19:19:51Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > He’s being a bit of a zealot, but there is a real issue with food being thrown out unnecessarily. There is a lot of food wastage in this country. There are people who do make it a political issue, both pushing for education on how to know if food is bad–knowing the real signs of food going bad, and knowing the difference in best by, sell by, and expiration dates. > > Others just push the idea that said food should be given to the less fortunate, and that laws should not punish people who go dumpster diving for such extreme wastage, like stores that get rid of food that’s past the sell by date but still not expired. > > And, of course, there are those “bent and dent” stores that do try to make money off this stuff. My local one is run by Mennonites, who, like the Amish, put a lot of value into avoiding wastage. And it’s the type of business they can run the way they like. Yeah, no. Dude said to wash off the green, sticky mold and eat the meat. This is very different from eating bacon a few days after its best-by date. ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2016, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-bacon-go-bad-so-quickly/774401/58 "2016-12-17T00:08:47Z")
Have you ever seen the show \*\*Hoarders \*\*when they show someone’s gross fridge full of rotting slimy foods and the person is all “There’s nothing wrong! It’s all still edible!”? Picture that person whenever \*\*jtur88 \*\*gives food “advice”. ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2016, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-bacon-go-bad-so-quickly/774401/59 "2016-12-17T02:15:34Z")
> [@Musicat](#): > > You ate something. You felt ill. You think it is because of the bacon? > > Did you eat anything else in the 2 day time-frame? How do you know the bacon is the reason you felt ill? > > Do you ever have a bad GI upset when you haven’t eaten old bacon? Is this the only time you ever had intestinal upset? Is this the only time you ate bacon that is old? > > While I sympathize with your discomfort, there are a million reasons why this might occur. Can you narrow the cause down to a specific food? Or are you just wildly guessing and blaming anything in sight? Dood, > [@aceplace57](#): > > My wife and I recently got sick from old bacon. We didn’t realize it had expired Oct 30 and we ate some Dec 2. Bad GI upset.\*\* I checked the package yesterday and saw green mold spots.\*\* It went in the trash. It wasn’t moldy the last time we cooked bacon. bolding mine. when you hear quacks, look for ducks, not that guy from Police Academy that makes all the wacky sounds. (Michael Winslow? I think that’s the guy) ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2016, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-bacon-go-bad-so-quickly/774401/60 "2016-12-17T06:38:48Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > He’s being a bit of a zealot, but there is a real issue with food being thrown out unnecessarily. There is a lot of food wastage in this country. There are people who do make it a political issue, both pushing for education on how to know if food is bad–knowing the real signs of food going bad, and knowing the difference in best by, sell by, and expiration dates. > > Others just push the idea that said food should be given to the less fortunate, and that laws should not punish people who go dumpster diving for such extreme wastage, like stores that get rid of food that’s past the sell by date but still not expired. > > And, of course, there are those “bent and dent” stores that do try to make money off this stuff. My local one is run by Mennonites, who, like the Amish, put a lot of value into avoiding wastage. And it’s the type of business they can run the way they like. A bit of a zealot? Dude, the guy eats moldy food out of dumpsters, and admits he rarely washes his hands. He doesn’t seem to understand the concept of "food poisoning. Dude’s kitchen sounds like the Salmonella Buffet. (The laws on dumpster diving are usually about liability. Blame it on too many law suits) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-bacon-go-bad-so-quickly/774401.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-bacon-go-bad-so-quickly/774401.md?page=4)