Should uncooked chicken breasts have a scent?

[99redballoons]

Hi all, it seems crazy asking this question as I've cooked fresh chicken breasts all my adult life... I always chuck out the chicken if it has the slightest scent... it has to be odorless...

is this correct? Is chicken safe to cook/eat if it has a slight odor? At what stage would you consider it not safe?

TIA

PS. tonights chicken still has two days to go on it but has a slight smell, not pongy, but not 'pleasant'.. do I chuck it??

[lavenderrr]

99redballoons, think once it smells slightly cheesy don't cook it....similar incident with a duck 2 weeks ago, it had 2 days to go, pulled it out of the fridge, it smellt rank and in the oven smellt yucky so ended up in the bin....my advice is to go with your gut instinct, if you don't like the smell the chances are it IS off and would be best avoided, you could make yourself quite ill if you do eat off meat.

[AnnieQ]

Agree with lav, if the smell isn't pleasant then don't use the meat. Fresh chicken does sometimes have a meaty smell, but it shouldn't smell unpleasant.

[PsychoFlame]

Not the right person to ask here...I chuck it if at all pongy, much to my DH horror!!!

I just think of that programme they had on TV a few years back where they showed chicken being bleached!!!!YUCK...puts me off somewhat at times. Not enough to make me go organic tho, cos I just can't afford it

[Enid]

meat smells...well...meaty I suppose. Chicken breasts from the farm definately smell, not rank, but they have a strongish smell.

I think people are too precious about it personally. It is odd to expect a food product to have absolutely NO smell.

Bleaching chicken probably gets rid of any trace of smell though

[99redballoons]

thanks all for the replies..

it does 'smell' and is more 'off' than 'on' iykwim so I think I'll bin it.. just didn't have anything as backup for tonight.. will have to dig around the freezer!

Thanks for the help

[crystaltips]

Also take a look at it .... if it's a bit "sweaty" that's another bad sign