If You See Pork with These 4 Signs at the Market, Don’t Buy It No Matter How Cheap – It Could Be Harmful
Pork is a common dish in many families. However, not everyone knows how to choose fresh, safe pork.
To avoid buying low-quality meat, stay away from cuts that show these 4 warning signs:
1. Pork with a dark color and blood stains on the surface
According to Nguoi Dua Tin, many homemakers think that blood stains on pork mean it is freshly slaughtered. In fact, during proper butchering, these stains should be cleaned off. Cuts of meat with blood stains may no longer be fresh, and some dishonest sellers even smear blood on them to trick customers. Old pork usually looks darker, tastes bad, and may cause illness.
Fresh, quality pork should have a pale pink to deep red color, no foul odor, and when sliced lengthwise, the inside looks dry and firm. The skin should be soft, fat white to ivory, and it should not have an oily smell.
2. Pork that looks watery
If pork looks overly wet or dripping, it may have been pumped or soaked with water to increase its weight. Sellers often wipe off the excess liquid – a clear sign the meat has been tampered with. Avoid this type of pork.
3. Pork with no elasticity
Fresh pork has good elasticity. When pressed with a finger, the dent should quickly disappear. If the meat fibers are firm, even, and not mushy or slimy, it is good quality.
If the dent remains, the meat may have been frozen and thawed for resale, which reduces elasticity. Spoiled pork can also show this sign.
4. Pork that feels slimy
Fresh pork feels firm and slightly sticky to the touch. In contrast, spoiled pork feels slimy and has a sour or unpleasant odor – a sign of bacterial contamination.
Signs of pork contamination or disease
Besides bad smell and poor elasticity, low-quality pork may show abnormal colors or marks:
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Pork with typhoid: bruises or tiny hemorrhages on the skin.
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Pork with hemorrhagic septicemia: large bruises or blood clots in the meat.
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Pork with parasites: small white cysts resembling rice grains (tapeworm larvae) inside the meat.
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Pork soaked in borax: mushy texture, watery, unnatural smell; after washing, it fades in color and smells fishy from artificial dyes.
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Pork from pigs with cholera: red hemorrhages under the skin or ears, like mosquito bites.
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Pork from pigs with hepatitis: yellowish color.
Storage tips to keep pork fresh
Even fresh pork can spoil or cause food poisoning if not stored properly.
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Wrap it well and refrigerate immediately.
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Keep raw pork away from cooked or ready-to-eat foods (like vegetables and fruit).
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If not cooking right away, store pork in the freezer. For short-term use, refrigerate in the chiller compartment to avoid long thawing times.
With these tips, you can confidently choose fresh, quality pork and make safe, delicious family meals.