What to do if the meat smells after being left overnight

If you buy fresh meat and forget to put it in the refrigerator, and it starts to smell bad, don't eat it. It has already gone bad and rotted. Eating it will cause great harm to your body and may even cause food poisoning. Therefore, you must store the uneaten fresh meat in the refrigerator.

Meat is rich in nutrients, but it should not be stored for a long time. If it is left at room temperature for too long, its quality will change and eventually cause corruption. The cause of meat spoilage is mainly the result of changes caused by microbial action. According to research, when the number of microorganisms per square centimeter reaches 50 million, the surface of the meat will become noticeably sticky and a corrupt odor can be smelled.

The microorganisms in meat invade the muscles through the blood and intestines when livestock and poultry are slaughtered. When the temperature, moisture and other conditions are suitable, they will multiply at a high speed and cause the meat to rot. The spoilage process of meat causes protein to break down into peptone, polypeptide, amino acids, and further into ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, phenol, indole, skatole, amines and carbon dioxide. These spoilage products have a strong odor and are very harmful to human health.

First look: First look at the color of the meat. If the surface of the meat is smooth and tender, it is qualified fresh meat; if the surface is dark and dry, it is unqualified fresh meat. Secondly, look at the fat. If the fat is white, shiny and greasy, it is qualified fresh meat; if the fat is dull or gray-green, it is unqualified fresh meat.

Second sniff: Smell the meat. If it has no fishy smell and a purer smell, it is qualified fresh meat. If it has a slight ammonia smell or sour smell, it is unqualified fresh meat. If it has a pungent fishy smell, it is spoiled meat.

The third touch: Touch the surface of the meat with your hand. If the surface is moist and the cut surface is not sticky, it is qualified fresh meat; if the surface is slightly dry and the cut surface feels sticky, it is unqualified fresh meat; if the surface is extremely dry and the cut surface feels very sticky, it is spoiled meat.

Four pressures: Press the surface of the meat. If the concave surface after pressing can quickly return to its original shape, it is qualified fresh meat; if the concave surface of the meat recovers slowly or cannot recover completely after pressing, it is unqualified fresh meat; if the concave mark cannot recover after pressing, it is spoiled meat.