Why Does Bacon Sometimes Turn Green?

Have you ever opened up a pack of bacon only to find it looking a bit too green for your liking? Green bacon seems gross and inedible, since we most commonly associate green with mold and spoiled food, but the green in bacon is no big deal.

It's called nitrite burn, and it's caused when the preservative nitrite reacts with the blood protein myoglobin, causing the red pigment in the blood to turn green.

Bacon has a distinctly awful smell when it spoils, so trust your nose and you'll know when your green bacon has actually gone bad and when it's just feelin' the (nitrite) burn.

-Via mental_floss

Newest 3

Newest 3 Comments

Actually there are more apt adjectives like: funky, rank, foul and rancid smelling. I was trying to be more PC but honestly? Better to be honest about the whole thing, IMO, incase anyone wanted a critique of English 'bacon'..

Abusive comment hidden. (Show it anyway.)

Bacon in the UK definitely has a different smell than bacon in the US. They don't use tons of preservatives in the meat like we do. It's not a smell that I'm fond of but after a few days you get used to it. The bacon does taste different, though.

Abusive comment hidden. (Show it anyway.)

good to know

Abusive comment hidden. (Show it anyway.)

Commenting is closed.

Click here to view up to the first 100 of this post's 3 comments

We hope you like this article!
Please help us grow by sharing:

Get Updates In Your Inbox

Free weekly emails, plus get access
to subscriber-only prizes.

We won't share your email. You can cancel at any time.