You opened a package of bacon four days ago, cooked some for breakfast, and left the rest loose in the fridge. Now it is Monday. You have raw fillets and a container of cooked bacon left over from the weekend. Are both still good?
Does bacon go bad?
Short answer: Yes, bacon goes bad, and the time frame is shorter than most people expect. According to the USDA raw bacon lasts up to 1 week in the refrigerator after opening. Cooked bacon lasts for 4 to 5 days in the refrigerator. Opened raw bacon lasts for up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator. Turkey bacon follows the same 1-week period after opening. All types freeze well and keep for 1 to 4 months, depending on the form.
See the Food Storage Guide for more information about storing perishable foods.
key takeaways
- Raw bacon, unopened: refrigerated up to 2 weeks or until use-by date
- Raw bacon, opened: 1 week refrigerated (USDA)
- Cooked bacon: Refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 to 5 days
- Turkey bacon, opened: 1 week refrigerated (USDA); Some sources say it takes 3 to 5 days for best quality
- Freezer: Up to 4 months raw bacon; 3 month old cooked bacon
- Signs of spoilage: sour or rancid odor, sticky texture, brown or green discoloration
How long does bacon last?
USDA FSIS publishes specific guidance on bacon and food safety. For raw bacon, the refrigerator window is clear: unopened packages last up to 2 weeks, and open packages should be used within 1 week. This applies to both regular pork bacon and turkey bacon. The USDA does not differentiate between the two for the 1-week open window, although turkey bacon is leaner and some producers recommend using it within 3 to 5 days of opening for best quality.
Cooked bacon lasts longer than most people expect: 4 to 5 days refrigerated in an airtight container according to USDA guidance and many producer sources. The cooking process kills the bacteria present in raw bacon, and the salt and fat content slows down the rate at which it refreezes in the refrigerator. Many people believe that cooked bacon should be eaten immediately, which is not true. Properly stored cooked bacon is a practical meal preparation item.
| Type | refrigerator (not open) | Refrigerator (after opening) | freezer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Raw pork bacon (sealed package) | up to 2 weeks | 1 week (USDA) | up to 4 months |
| Raw Turkey Bacon (sealed package) | up to 2 weeks | 1 week (USDA); 3 to 5 days for best quality | up to 4 months |
| Cooked Bacon (pork or turkey) | N/A | 4 to 5 days | up to 3 months |
| Shelf-Stable Precooked Bacon (Vacuum-Sealed) | Stored at or below 85°F, until the use-by date. | 2 weeks after opening | up to 6 months |
How to tell if bacon has gone bad
Symptoms of Malfunction
- Sour or musty smell: Fresh raw bacon has a mild, cured, slightly smoky odor. Sour, pungent or obviously rancid odors mean that the fat has been oxidized or bacteria have taken hold. Don’t cook it and expect the smell to go away. Discard it.
- Sticky or sticky texture: When you pick up raw bacon, it should feel slightly moist but not have a sticky coating. The thinning is caused by Lactobacillus bacteria colonizing the surface and secreting a biofilm as their numbers increase. The meat is beyond his window. Discard it.
- Brown, brown, or green discoloration: Fresh raw bacon is pink to red with white or light fat. Graying of the edges, a uniform gray-brown color, or any green spots indicate spoilage. Some slight darkening at the very edge of the slice due to oxidation may be normal, but widespread or progressive discoloration is not normal.
- Mould: Visible growths on raw or cooked bacon mean discard the entire package. Unlike hard cheeses, you can’t safely cut off the moldy part of the bacon and use the rest.
Shelf-Stable Precooked Bacon Exception
Most bacon requires refrigeration at all times. The exception is shelf-stable precooked bacon, which the USDA FSIS describes clearly in its Bacon and Food Safety Guide. To make bacon shelf-stable, it is precooked in a plant until it reaches a water activity of 0.85 or below, which controls the growth of Staphylococcus aureus. The ripe yield is about 40% of the raw weight. This product can be stored unopened at room temperature (at or below 85°F per USDA guidance) and does not require refrigeration until opened. Use by the manufacturer’s recommended date printed on the package. Once opened, refrigerate and use within 2 weeks.
This is the product you sometimes see in vacuum-sealed or nitrogen-flushed packaging on non-refrigerated shelves in grocery aisles. It is a different product from refrigerated raw or ready-to-cook bacon in the case of meat.
Why does turkey bacon have a slightly smaller quality window?
According to the USDA, turkey bacon follows the same 1-week refrigerated window after opening as pork bacon. However, turkey bacon is leaner, has less fat, and has a higher moisture content than pork bacon. Fat is a natural preservative that slows the growth of bacteria; The low fat content means that turkey bacon can rapidly degrade in quality even if it remains within the safety window. Many producers and food storage resources recommend using opened turkey bacon within 3 to 5 days for best flavor and texture, even though the USDA window is 1 week. Turkey bacon is also not technically bacon under the USDA definition. By regulation, “bacon” can only be made from pork belly, and products made from other species must use a descriptive name such as “turkey bacon” or “beef bacon”. This matters for labeling purposes but not for storage.
Can you freeze bacon?
Yes, and compared to most other deli and breakfast meats, bacon freezes exceptionally well. The high fat content protects the ice crystals from damage, and curing preservatives maintain flavor through freeze-thaw cycles. If raw bacon is unopened, freeze it in the original package. For unwrapped bacon, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, then place in a zip-top freezer bag. Individual strips can be separated from the parchment paper before freezing for easier single-use use. USDA FoodKeeper recommends using frozen raw bacon within 1 month for best quality. Many manufacturer sources extend this to 4 months. Either way, frozen bacon remains safe indefinitely at 0 degrees Fahrenheit, although flavor and texture degrade over time. Cooked bacon keeps frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and use within 7 days of thawing. Once thawed, do not refreeze.
Recipes That Use Bacon
If you have raw bacon lying around the window, cook it and refrigerate the cooked strips for up to 5 days, which actually buys you more time than leaving it raw. Cooked bacon crumbles easily into salads, pasta, baked potatoes, soups and egg dishes. We add crispy bacon to this recipe for Roasted Brussels Sprouts. It’s one of the most versatile refrigerator staples when batch-cooked ahead of time. As for turkey bacon in particular, it’s a lean protein option that works well in breakfast wraps and salads. For more on lean protein sources, see Best Sources of Lean Protein. For USDA’s complete bacon and food safety guidance, visit USDA FSIS Bacon and Food Safety Page.
See also
Does Bacon Go Bad? FAQs
FAQ: How long does Canadian bacon last?
Canadian bacon (also called back bacon) is made from lean pork loin rather than belly. It is cured and fully cooked, making it more akin to cooked deli meat than traditional strip bacon. Opened Canadian bacon lasts for 3 to 5 days refrigerated. Unopened packages are kept until the use-by date. It should always be refrigerated and should not have a shelf-stable version.
FAQ: Does uncooked bacon last as long as regular bacon?
Uncooked bacon contains no added sodium nitrate or nitrite, instead using naturally occurring nitrites from ingredients like celery powder. The USDA recommends following the same refrigeration and storage guidelines for uncooked bacon as for conventionally cooked bacon: refrigerate at 40 degrees Fahrenheit, use within 1 week of opening, and follow the package date. Some food scientists say that the practical shelf life of uncooked bacon may be slightly shorter because nitrates contribute to preservation, but the USDA does not publish a separate shelf life figure for uncooked products. When in doubt, use it in the first window rather than later.
FAQ: Can you cook slightly spoiled bacon?
No, cooking bacon that has a sour smell or sticky texture does not make it safe. The heat kills the bacteria but does not neutralize the toxins that some bacteria have already produced in the meat. If the bacon smells sour or feels sticky before cooking, discard it. An exception is very slight browning at the edges and no change in odor, which may be oxidation rather than spoilage. If in doubt, don’t cook it.
FAQ: How long does cooked bacon last at room temperature?
Bacon cooked at room temperature meets the standard USDA 2-hour perishable food rule. After 2 hours at room temperature (or 1 hour above 90 degrees Fahrenheit), cooked bacon should be refrigerated or discarded. This applies whether it’s in a pan on the stove, on a plate on the counter, or in a warming tray at the buffet. The salt and fat content in bacon gives it some natural resistance, but not enough to safely exceed the 2-hour guideline.
FAQ: Is bacon still good after sell by date?
Often yes, for unopened packages. The sell by date is a guide for retailers, not a hard and fast safety expiration. An unopened package of raw bacon that has been continuously refrigerated and has not been damaged can often be used a day or two past the sell-by date if it passes odor and appearance checks. Once opened, the sell by date is much less important than the 1-week window from when you first broke the seal. If any bacon is printed, never use it past the use by date, and always trust the sensory check regardless of the date.
Further reading
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