"When in doubt, throw it out" is the adage most food safety and nutrition experts use to help consumers determine whether or not a food package is safe. But, what happens when you spot a package in your grocery store's meat department that appears to be bloated? Unfortunately, a bloated package may indicate the presence of harmful bacteria. While you'd be right to doubt the meat's safety, it's important to know the reasons why the package may be bloated and whether it's an indication that there's something fishy going on in that meat case.
There are few key reasons why a meat package could be bloated , not all of which are related to food safety. In high altitude areas, a food package can swell if the air pressure inside the package is greater than the outside air pressure. This often happens if you're carrying food from a low-altitude area to a high-altitude area.
You may have seen the same phenomenon if you took a bag of chips with you on a plane. Another benign reason why a food's package may appear bloated is the use of Modified Atmosphere Packaging. With MAP, the air inside packages of fresh foods like meat, poultry, fruits, and vegetables is replaced with a gas mixture of carbon dioxide and nitrogen to protect the foods' quality and safety.
Bloating may be an indication of bacterial growth Humans aren't the only ones that release gas when they have consumed too much. The same is true of bacteria, which release gas as they grow on impacted food. It's important to look fo.
