Bulging vacuum pack - safe?

Kiera20

Hello guys, I bought some pork chops in the supermarket at the weekend. They are in a vacuum packed tray (I just picked them up off one of the shelves in the fridge). Anyway while the best before date is the 9th Jan they packaging is bulging a bit. I was just wondering if anyone knows if it would be safe to eat the meat or if the bulging could be a sign of bacteria or something in the package.
thanks

Dizzyblonde

I wouldn't touch a bulging vacuum pack :eek:

mags16

Can you remember if the package bulging when you bought it? If it started to bulge when you brought it home, I'd bring it back to the shop. If you're not sure, I would open the pack and give the meat a good sniff. If it smells sour, don't eat it. If it smells normal, I'd eat it but be sure to cook it well.

But if in doubt throw it out (or bring it back to the shop and get a refund).

Kat1170

Probably due to the air in the packet expanding due to different tempatures between shop fridge and yours.

rubadub

Vacuum packs are really the ones with no air in them to begin with, like those long bag things pork steaks come in. If those were bulging I would toss it out.

Those trays with film on them are usually full of inert gases, the majority of mine bulge, just sniff and see as mentioned, its what your granny had to do before dates were on stuff!

Kat1170

Danger of the internet:rolleyes:. It was the tray with the film over it I was thinking of. If it is vacuum pack as in the one with no air/gas at all OP was talking about then I would junk it straight away.