Buying and storing meat

[Dannie Boy]

Until fairly recently I’ve never noticed it being a problem, but lately buying raw meat (normally chicken or pork) from Makro, I’ve noticed that unless you cook it within one day of purchase, there’s normally a very off-putting smell when you take the meat out of the bag. Has anybody else noticed this? The only other point to make is that we moved a couple of months ago and have a new fridge freezer - although the fridge is set to 2°C it still doesn’t feel as cold as our old fridge that had the old-fashioned min-med-max type setting for temperature rather than digital.

[Nereus]

Until fairly recently I’ve never noticed it being a problem, but lately buying raw meat (normally chicken or pork) from Makro, I’ve noticed that unless you cook it within one day of purchase, there’s normally a very off-putting smell when you take the meat out of the bag. Has anybody else noticed this? The only other point to make is that we moved a couple of months ago and have a new fridge freezer - although the fridge is set to 2°C it still doesn’t feel as cold as our old fridge that had the old-fashioned min-med-max type setting for temperature rather than digital.

Arh, roadkill will do that!

Seriously, 4 degrees C is the correct temperature for chiller, so I doubt that the problem is your fridge. Do drinks like water or milk taste warm, or milk going off? A cheap thermometer left inside the fridge for a few hours will show what it is doing.

One problem with meat is that it may have been frozen, allowed to defrost and then refrozen. Something that can occur with big supply chain operators. Bulk food gets stored, moved to transport that may or may not be at the correct temperature, and then stored again at the outlet.

[Dannie Boy]

Until fairly recently I’ve never noticed it being a problem, but lately buying raw meat (normally chicken or pork) from Makro, I’ve noticed that unless you cook it within one day of purchase, there’s normally a very off-putting smell when you take the meat out of the bag. Has anybody else noticed this? The only other point to make is that we moved a couple of months ago and have a new fridge freezer - although the fridge is set to 2°C it still doesn’t feel as cold as our old fridge that had the old-fashioned min-med-max type setting for temperature rather than digital.

Arh, roadkill will do that!

Seriously, 4 degrees C is the correct temperature for chiller, so I doubt that the problem is your fridge. Do drinks like water or milk taste warm, or milk going off? A cheap thermometer left inside the fridge for a few hours will show what it is doing.

One problem with meat is that it may have been frozen, allowed to defrost and then refrozen. Something that can occur with big supply chain operators. Bulk food gets stored, moved to transport that may or may not be at the correct temperature, and then stored again at the outlet.

I’m aware that 4° is the recommended temperature, but set at 4 it didn’t seem cold enough - I don’t have a thermometer so might invest in one to check but at 2° it seems about right (i.e. it seems closer to 4°than it did previously).

As for has the meat been previously frozen - going by the way they take it out of large plastic bags that have a generous amount of “bloody water”, I’m 99% certain it has been frozen before and as you’ve suggested, maybe it’s been up and down during its life, which will do nothing to help it’s shelf-life!!

[migrant]

We stopped buying chicken at Makro a while back. We go through a lot of chicken since the wife feeds it to the dogs (as well as me, but their's is tasty).

As you, Dannie Boy, if the chicken isn't cooked that day a smell develops.

[HHTel]

As long as the meat has been stored properly and thawed slowly in the refrigerator, it can be refrozen safely multiple times. If done correctly, refreezing meat does not pose any health risks. Fresh meat spoils quickly, and freezing it is a common preservation method.

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/ca ... n%20method.

[PeteC]

Makro is owned by CP now, correct? if so, if anything should be fresh it's the chicken. Unless...Makro is a dumping ground for unsold product from other CP shops.

[Dannie Boy]

As long as the meat has been stored properly and thawed slowly in the refrigerator, it can be refrozen safely multiple times. If done correctly, refreezing meat does not pose any health risks. Fresh meat spoils quickly, and freezing it is a common preservation method.

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/ca ... n%20method.

I’d guess (I know that’s dangerous) that the chances that food handlers are up to speed with correct storage and handling procedures in shops like Makro are very low.


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[HHTel]

Makro is owned by CP now, correct? if so, if anything should be fresh it's the chicken. Unless...Makro is a dumping ground for unsold product from other CP shops.

CP pretty much has control - 7/11, Lotus, Makro and many more.

[KhunLA]

Meats I'll buy frozen, and if buy fresh, gets cooked that day or next. Anything else gets vacuum sealed and put in freezer. If bought frozen and not vacuum sealed, then thaw it enough to separate, the vacuum seal and in to the freezer.