Get Rid of Your Salmon Right Away If You Spot These Warning Signs

Salmon is a healthy, versatile protein that pairs well with many ingredients. You can enjoy it as a fillet, in a Wellington, made into patties, or prepared in countless other ways. Thanks to its flexibility, salmon can be cooked using various methods, transforming the raw flesh into a tender, flaky entrée that complements vegetables and grains.

Whether you plan to grill, bake, or pan-sear, it’s important to recognize the signs of spoiled salmon to avoid ruining your dish. Keep reading to learn when it’s time to discard your salmon.

How to Spot Bad Raw Salmon

Appearance
You can determine if raw salmon has gone bad by its appearance. Fresh salmon should look moist with vibrant pink or orange flesh. If the fillets appear dull, discolored, or gray, they’ve passed their prime. You might also notice dry edges. Whole salmon should have shiny silver skin, clear and slightly bulging eyes, and bright red gills. If it’s no longer fresh, the eyes will look sunken or cloudy, and the gills will be dull and brown.

Texture
Fresh salmon feels firm when pressed, and your fingers won’t leave an indentation. Spoiled salmon, on the other hand, may feel slimy or mushy.

Smell
The scent of salmon is another clue. Fresh salmon has a mild, neutral odor, while spoiled salmon gives off a strong, unpleasant ammonia-like smell.

How to Identify Bad Cooked Salmon

If your cooked salmon is still moist, free from mold or discoloration, and doesn’t have a sour smell, it can last up to four days in the refrigerator at 40°F or below, according to USDA guidelines.

When cooking or reheating salmon, you might notice white stuff appearing on the surface. Don’t worry—this isn’t a sign of contamination. The white substance is albumin, a liquid protein that solidifies as the fish cooks. The presence of albumin can also mean the fish has been slightly overcooked.

What About Smoked Salmon?

If you’re a fan of smoked salmon, you can turn it into a delicious spread to pair with your favorite crackers, use it in sushi rolls, or add it to creamy pastas for a gourmet twist. However, keep in mind that smoked salmon has a different shelf life compared to raw salmon, and the storage time may vary depending on the smoking method used.

Generally, there are two types of smoked salmon: cold-smoked and hot-smoked. Hot-smoked salmon is fully cooked, cured to an internal temperature of at least 145°F for 30 minutes. Cold-smoked salmon, on the other hand, is not fully cooked. It is cured between 50 and 90°F for 20 to 24 hours. Because of the curing process, cold-smoked salmon must be stored in the fridge, both in stores and at home, to prevent the growth of harmful bacteria like Listeria monocytogenes.

Listeriosis is a serious illness that can severely affect pregnant women, those over 65, or individuals with weakened immune systems. As a precaution, the Centers for Disease Control recommends that vulnerable groups avoid cold-smoked fish and instead opt for smoked fish that is sealed in an airtight container and doesn’t need refrigeration before opening, or smoked fish that is fully cooked in dishes.

To determine if smoked salmon is safe to eat, always check its best-before date, and inspect its color, texture, and appearance. If it looks discolored, gray, slimy, dry, or shows any signs of mold or growth, it’s best to discard it.

The USDA offers the following guidelines for storing smoked salmon after purchase:

• Cold-smoked, air-packed: 14 to 30 days in the fridge; nine to 12 months in the freezer
• Cold-smoked, vacuum-packed: 21 to 30 days in the fridge; nine to 12 months in the freezer
• Hot-smoked, air-packed: 14 to 45 days in the fridge; nine to 12 months in the freezer
• Hot-smoked, vacuum-packed: 14 to 45 days in the fridge; six to 12 months in the freezer

Once you’ve opened the package, treat hot-smoked salmon like any cooked food. Store it in the fridge at 40°F or below and consume it within four days. For cold-smoked salmon, treat it like raw fish and eat it within two days.

Can You Eat Salmon After the Sell-By Date?

Fresh salmon wrapped in plastic usually has a sell-by date label. According to the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Guidelines, this date is not an indicator of food safety, but rather a suggestion for retailers on when to sell the product before removing it from the shelves.

In other words, fresh salmon remains safe to eat for up to two days when stored in the fridge at 40°F or lower, as long as you don’t notice any of the changes mentioned earlier.

If you purchase salmon from a seafood counter, there won’t be a sell-by sticker on the package. Instead, follow the two-day rule. If the salmon’s quality starts to decline quickly within that time frame, or if you notice any changes in color, texture, appearance, or smell, it’s time to discard it.

How to Store Salmon

When shopping for fresh or frozen fish, try to pick it up last, just before checking out or making your final stop before heading home. This will help slow the fish's spoilage by minimizing the time between purchase and refrigeration.

Once at home, store raw salmon in its original packaging on the bottom shelf of the fridge, away from ready-to-eat or cooked foods to prevent cross-contamination. You can also place it on a plate to catch any leaks. Alternatively, divide it into portions and keep it in airtight containers.

If you’ve bought frozen salmon, keep it in the freezer or, if defrosting, place it on the bottom shelf of the fridge and use it within one to two days.

How Long Can Salmon Be Stored In the Freezer?

To freeze raw salmon, keep it in its original packaging or transfer it to a resealable, freezer-safe bag. USDA guidelines recommend that raw salmon can be kept in the freezer for up to three months at temperatures below 0°F before its quality begins to decline. Also, avoid refreezing salmon that has already been thawed.