How to Tell if Salmon Has Gone Bad - The Ultimate Guide

Knowing if food is spoiled can be one of the most daunting tasks in the kitchen. It can be especially difficult when it comes to seafood.

When it comes to knowing if the seafood has gone bad there is always a mixture of answers. For example, some say that fish should smell fishy, while others say that it shouldn’t. So how do we know whom to listen to?

When it comes to salmon, one of the most popular types of fish, luckily there are easy guidelines to follow to ensure you never eat fish that has gone bad.

So how can you tell if salmon has gone bad? Salmon has gone bad if it smells musty and ammonia smell, has any discoloration or mold, is slimy or sticky in texture, or tastes too fishy. 

Read on to learn how to tell if salmon has gone bad, the best way to store and reheat it, and the main risks of eating salmon that has gone bad.

What is salmon?

Salmon is a pinkish-orange fish that is popular in many cuisines and in many parts of the world.  It is a rich and meaty piece and is much less flaky than other pieces of fish such as sea bass or halibut.

It is rich in protein and omega 3 fatty acids, which makes it a healthy option.

Depending on the cut, it can be eaten raw, cooked, or smoked, and each form is delicious.

Raw salmon is traditionally used in Japanese foods such as sushi rolls and sashimi. It is also used in a traditional Hawaiian dish, poke.

Cooked salmon is used in many different cuisines. It can be baked, roasted or steamed and tastes best with a light seasoning and a squeeze of lemon. 

Smoked salmon is often served for breakfast on bagels, on toast, or as part of a full breakfast or brunch. It is also often mixed with mayonnaise, sour cream, cream cheese, capers, and tabasco sauce to make a smoked salmon sauce.

However you eat salmon, it is a delicious and healthy addition to your diet.

How to tell if salmon has gone bad

There is nothing worse than eating food that has gone bad. Luckily, we’ve put together a few ways to tell if your salmon has gone bad, both raw and cooked.

Let’s first see how to tell if raw salmon has gone bad:

How to tell if raw salmon has gone bad

Here are the ways to tell if your raw salmon has gone bad and is no longer edible:

Expiry dates

The first way to determine whether or not you should cook that salmon you bought at the grocery store a few days ago is to look at the expiration date.

When you choose a piece of salmon at the store, be sure to choose one with an expiration date that works with your cooking schedule. 

If you plan to cook it that night, a package that expires that night or the next day will do you good.

However, if you plan to cook it within a few days, it is very important that you choose a piece of salmon that does not expire within those days. 

Do not cook salmon that is past its expiration date. This is not a “suggestion” and don’t take chances. You can get very sick if you eat after the expiration date.

Smell

It can be confusing to figure out if your salmon smells fishy because it’s fresh, or fishy because it’s gone bad. For those who are not used to cooking seafood, it can be especially difficult and confusing.

However, fresh salmon should smell slightly fishy, specifically like the ocean. It will smell salty and almost like an ocean breeze. 

The smell of salmon that has gone bad will probably leave you speechless. It will smell extremely fishy, musty, sour, and very much like ammonia (which can smell like urine or sweat).

Trust us when we say that you will know if the salmon smells bad or not. Trust your gut. If the smell makes you a little queasy, throw the fish away.

Color

The color of the salmon is another indicator of whether or not the fish has gone bad.

Fresh raw salmon should be bright orange and slightly pink in color, with white lines running through it.

It is important to note that some pieces of salmon, depending on where they come from, may be more orange while others may be more pink.

However, if your salmon looks dull or has turned grey, or has hints of green or blue, it is a sign that it has gone bad. 

If there are signs of mold or dark spots, the salmon should also be discarded.

If you have bought a whole piece of salmon, the color of its eyes is also an indicator of its freshness.

Salmon eye color should be bright and clear, with a dark pupil in the center. If the fish’s eyes are dull, gray or discolored, it is a sign that it has gone bad.

Texture

The texture of the salmon can determine whether or not you should eat it.

Fresh salmon should be soft to the touch and when cut, it should be nice and meaty. You want the meat to “jump” when you poke it lightly.

The first symptom of a bad texture is if when you poke it slightly it becomes indented or begins to fall apart. Fresh salmon should be firm, not flimsy.

If the salmon is slimy, sticky, or sticky, throw it away: it’s a sign of spoilage.

Taste

Sometimes these signs, the texture, smell, and color, may not be detectable when eating raw sushi in a restaurant or even at home.

Therefore, you also need to know the taste signs when raw salmon has gone bad. Hopefully, you never have to get to this point, but it’s much better to find out in the first bite than after you’ve consumed a large amount.

Raw salmon should taste fresh, light, and not at all stinking. This is because there is a difference between regular and sushi grade salmon.

If raw salmon tastes fishy like the ocean or leaves a sticky or filmy taste in your mouth, stop eating it. You must dispose of it immediately.

How to tell if cooked salmon has gone bad

Sometimes raw salmon may not have the signs that it has gone bad, so you may accidentally cook salmon that is not yet edible.

Or you may buy pre-cooked salmon at the supermarket or restaurant and you are not sure if you can eat it or not.

These are the signs that your cooked salmon has gone bad:

Date of Expiry

Sometimes we cook salmon that is past its expiration date without knowing it. Fortunately, there are other signs that it has gone bad, but we recommend keeping the container until the salmon is cooked.

If the other signs don’t indicate spoilage, but the cooked salmon still looks “weird,” it would be a good time to recheck the expiration date.

If you buy pre-cooked salmon in a store (canned salmon, for example), always check the expiration date before consuming it. 

Checking the expiration date is the quickest and easiest way to determine if salmon should be eaten or not.

Smell

The smell of cooked salmon can determine whether or not it is edible.

While it’s OK for raw salmon to have a fishy odor before cooking, it’s not OK for it to have an excessive fishy odor after cooking.

The cooking process should have removed the fishy smell and left only the smell of the herbs and spices used.

Also, if the cooked salmon smells sour or rancid, it is a sign that the fish has gone bad. 

Color

The color of cooked salmon can indicate if it has gone bad.

Cooked salmon should be a very light pink color.  If it turns dull, gray, or has any number of dark spots, throw it away. 

Texture

Texture is one of the best ways to tell if cooked salmon has gone bad or not.

Cooked salmon should be light, flaky, and easily fall apart. If the salmon becomes tough, it is no longer edible. 

If the cooked salmon is slimy, stringy, sticky, or sticky, that’s also a sign that the fish has gone bad.

Taste

Some of these other signs can be difficult to detect in cooked fish. There may be no signs of off-odour, color, or texture, but the cooked salmon may still be off.

Unfortunately, this can mean that you have to rely on taste to determine whether or not the salmon has gone bad.

Just like raw salmon, cooked salmon should not taste fishy. Cooked salmon should taste light, rich, and almost buttery, and like whatever herbs or seasonings were used in the cooking process.

If cooked salmon tastes fishy or leaves a slimy feeling in your mouth, it has gone bad and should be thrown away immediately.

What are the risks of eating spoiled salmon?

There is a wide range of risks, which can include severe stomach and intestinal discomfort, which can occur after consuming spoiled salmon. The danger comes from the proliferation of bacteria and mold.

It is not worth consuming a questionable fish because of these risks. Always check that salmon is fresh by looking at signs such as smell, color and texture.

If you have eaten bad salmon and begin to feel severe nausea or dizziness, seek medical attention.

Other tips to avoid spoiled salmon

While these are signs to help you avoid eating spoiled salmon after you’ve bought it, there are a few ways to avoid buying spoiled salmon.

Check its origin

Knowing where your salmon comes from can help you avoid buying bad salmon and ensure high-quality fish.

When shopping at a grocery store, opt for wild salmon over farmed.

When you go to a restaurant, do some quick research or make a phone call to find out where they buy their salmon from.

Cook it right (or buy it right!)

If you cook the salmon, be sure to cook it to an internal temperature of 145°F. The only salmon that should be eaten raw is sushi grade.

Speaking of which, if you plan on eating raw sushi, make sure it really is sushi grade. The best place for this is your local fish market.

Related questions

Now that we’ve gone over how to tell if your salmon has gone bad, let’s take a look at some related questions!

What is the best way to cook salmon?

You can cook salmon in several ways. Baking, broiling, or poaching often produce the tastiest salmon.

To bake, cook salmon at 400°F for about 12-20 minutes, depending on desired doneness (recommended internal temperature is 145°F).

Be sure to coat it with oil (olive oil or avocado work well in this case) and season it to your liking.

To grill salmon, make sure the grill is clean and hot. Lightly brush salmon with oil and keep seasoning simple (sauces or marinades can burn quickly and leave salmon undercooked).

Grill for about 5 minutes on each side or until internal temperature reaches 145°F. 

Poaching salmon does not require oil, so it is usually the lowest in calories. To poach, add the salmon to a pot of heavily seasoned broth or water (bay leaves, onion, garlic, and lemon work here).

Let it simmer for about 20-25 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 145°F. 

What is the best way to preserve salmon?

There are a few different methods for preserving salmon, depending on whether it’s raw or cooked and when you plan to eat the fish.

In the case of raw salmon, it can stay in the fridge without cooking for about two days before it goes bad. You want to make sure that you put it in the fridge no more than two hours after taking it out of the supermarket fridge.

Unlike other meats and fish, raw salmon can only last in the freezer for 1-2 months. Be sure to wrap it in freezer paper to keep it as fresh as possible. If it has freezer burn or any other signs of spoilage, don’t eat it.

Cooked salmon can be kept in the fridge for 2-3 days. This depends on how fresh it was when you bought it and how close it was to the expiration date when it was cooked. Do not eat salmon in the fridge after 3 days.

Cooked salmon should not be kept in the freezer. It will lose its texture and flavor, and it doesn’t keep well when reheated.

What is the best way to reheat salmon?

If you’re in a hurry, microwaving the salmon is fine; however, expect your entire home (or office) to smell fishy for a few hours. Also, expect the fish to lose some flavor when microwaved. 

The best way to reheat a piece of salmon is in the oven. Keep the oven on a low temperature, around 275°F, and allow it to heat up for about 10-15 minutes. It may take a little longer, but it will keep the flavor and texture intact.

Another way to reheat salmon is in a skillet on the stove. Add a small amount of oil and keep the heat on medium/low. Put the salmon in the pan and cover it with a lid. Cook each side for about 3-4 minutes.

The last way to reheat salmon would be in an air fryer. Set the temperature to about 350°F and cook for 5-7 minutes. This is not only quick, but it will maintain the flavor and texture of the salmon.