Pork Smells Like Rotten Eggs

4 Reasons & Solutions

Americans consume a lot of pork, however, if the pork smells like rotten eggs upon opening the packaging then it is potentially spoiled. This odor indicates the meat may be past its prime or improperly stored, affecting not just ribs but all pork parts. The causes include poor packaging, improper storage, specific genes, and boar taint. While rinsing or dry rubbing may temporarily mitigate the odor, consuming spoiled pork poses health risks due to bacteria like E.Coli, Salmonella, and Yersinia enterocolitica, as mentioned by Azolifesciences.com. It’s crucial to discern the smell’s cause, as not all off-odors imply danger—boar taint or vacuum packaging smells don’t necessarily render pork unsafe. Prioritizing health over cost, it’s advisable to avoid consuming questionable pork to prevent potential illness.

4 Main Reasons Why Pork Ribs Smell Like Rotten Eggs

Androstenone Gene

Certain male pigs carry the androstenone gene, produced in the boar’s testes and spreading to its blood and salivary glands, which acts as a mating pheromone but can also make pork smell like rotten eggs. Additionally, pigs possess skatole and androstenone genes linked to bad odors, including urine and fecal scents. While androstenone is prevalent in males, skatole is common in all pigs, affecting nearly all pork in the market.

Improper Storage Conditions

Proper storage of pork meat in Cryovac packaging, in freezers or refrigerators, is crucial to prevent bacterial growth and spoilage. It’s vital to maintain a storage temperature below 40 degrees to inhibit bacteria development. Exceeding these temperatures can result in bacterial growth within days. Meat manufacturers must ensure pork ribs are stored at the correct temperature and in secure Cryovac bags to prevent contamination and the pork smelling like rotten eggs.

Related article: Cryovac Pork Smell

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Poor Packaging

Poor packaging significantly affects pork freshness by allowing bacteria and oxygen to penetrate the seal, leading to decomposition and oxidation. This process breaks down meat molecules, resulting in spoilage and a rotten egg-like smell in packaged pork ribs. Proper sealing and packaging are essential to preserve pork for extended periods. Vacuum sealer bags, particularly FoodSaver BPA-Free Vacuum Sealer Bags, are recommended for safely storing pork meat, effectively preventing bacterial and oxygen exposure.

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Boar Taint

Boar taint, a fart-like or rotten egg smell in pork, is primarily found in non-castrated male pigs reaching puberty and can affect about 75% of the pig population. Castration at puberty is the best solution to prevent boar taint, which can also be exacerbated by bacteria. If pork containing boar taint is undercooked, the odor becomes more pronounced. This issue affects both male and female pigs, and while it can be managed by pork producers, failure to control it means a significant portion of pork may have this odor. Odors from genetic causes typically dissipate 30 minutes to an hour after opening the Cryovac seal. Dry rubbing the meat can help eliminate the smell. If the odor persists despite these measures, it’s advisable to discard the meat.

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4 Signs That Tell Whether Pork Ribs Have Gone Bad

When you know how to taste the freshness of your pork meat, then it becomes easier to tell when the pork ribs have gone bad. There are basically 4 signs or symptoms that can confirm the fact that your pork meat has gone bad or spoiled already. Those 4 signs are as follows:

Package Smells Rotten

The first indicator of spoiled meat is its odor, signaling bacterial infiltration and resulting in structural and chemical changes that degrade and oxidize the meat, altering its smell. Spoiled meat often feels slimy or sticky to the touch. There’s a distinction between odors caused by spoilage and those caused by genetics, such as the androstenone gene, which produces a rotten egg smell that dissipates after airing the meat for 30 minutes to an hour. In contrast, odors from poor packaging and spoilage persist, not removed by dry rubbing or airing.

Changes in Meat Color

A key indicator of spoilage in pork ribs is a noticeable change in meat color. Initially, vacuum-packaged fresh pork displays a purple-red hue, which shifts to cherry-red upon exposure to air. Extended oxygen exposure further alters the color to brownish-red, indicating decomposition. Fresh pork naturally presents as pink with white strands; a shift towards greyish or brownish tones signifies chemical and structural changes within the meat, often accelerated by bacterial presence. This color transformation, coupled with an off-putting smell, signals spoilage in pork ribs.

Slimy Touch of the Meat

A slimy or sticky texture is a third sign indicating pork meat degradation. This tactile quality is often used by professional chefs to assess freshness. Fresh pork should feel firm and not slimy. If the meat feels slimy or tacky upon touching, it is likely that the pork ribs have spoiled.

Tiny Air Holes in Packaging

The final indicator of potential spoilage is the presence of tiny air holes in the sealed package, allowing outside air and bacteria to penetrate and interact with the meat. This exposure to oxygen initiates oxidation, leading to the meat’s gradual decomposition. Additionally, it’s crucial to check the expiration date on the package; consuming the meat more than 1-2 weeks past this date is not advisable.

4 Solutions to Prevent Pork Ribs From Smelling Like Rotten Eggs

Now, you have already known the root causes of pork ribs that smells like rotten eggs. You can prevent or avoid this bad smell for sure if you take proper precautions. Some of the precautions you can take to avoid getting bad smelling pork meat are as follows.

Always Buy Fresh Pork

I strongly advise purchasing fresh pork meat from your local butcher to minimize the risk of spoilage associated with vacuum-packaged meat from stores. When buying packaged meat, pay close attention to the expiry dates, ensuring they are at least 2-4 weeks away from your purchase date. Fresh pork meat, when stored properly, will not spoil quickly.

Wash and Dry Rub Pork Before Storage

Neglecting to wash and dry rub pork meat before storage can lead to bacterial growth, as it’s crucial to remove any external blood or dirt. This oversight significantly increases the risk of spoilage and is a key reason why stored packaged pork may develop a rotten egg or fart-like smell.

Store Pork with Vacuum Sealed Bags

The next most important thing to follow is its proper storage. You will need to use right vacuum sealed bags to store the freshly bought pork meat. I highly recommend to use FoodSaver Vacuum Sealer Bags to store your meat for several days without any spoilage.

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Freeze Under 40 Degrees

If you want to store your pork meat for several days inside the fridge or a freezer without any spoilage, then it is important to store it under certain temperature level. The safe temperature level under which the meat can be stored for few weeks is 40 degrees. Follow this temperature level to prevent any bacteria growth inside the pork meat sealed package.

Final Thoughts

Pork meat lovers may sometimes face a bad rotten egg smell, for which we’ve discussed four main reasons and signs to identify spoilage. If the bad smell is due to spoilage, avoid consuming the pork. However, if the smell is from natural causes, rinsing the meat might be enough to eliminate the odor before consumption. Importantly, this unpleasant odor is preventable, and by adhering to the four methods mentioned above, you can ensure your pork ribs remain free from any rotten egg-like smell.