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Original poster

Chicken greenish in places - safe to eat??

25 replies

KathyMCMLXXII · 28/02/2007 15:33

I'm guessing not

This is a very fancy organic chicken that cost £10. I bought it on Sat, it says on the label you can keep it 5 days, but when I unwrapped it to joint it it seems to have a greenish tinge on the bony bits of the wings and underneath.

I'm not sure what off chicken smells like but I would describe the smell as slightly sour.

Shall I bin it?

Thanks.

OP posts:
compo · 28/02/2007 15:33

yes, bin it

aDad · 28/02/2007 15:34

if in doubt bin with chicken.
Green!! That sounds bad!

Whoooosh · 28/02/2007 15:34

BIN IT

CanSleepWeirdShifts · 28/02/2007 15:35

Not worth the risk with chicken imo. If the shop said it would keep 5 days and hasn't then phone them and tell them you want a refund.

fortyplus · 28/02/2007 15:35

Don't bin it - take it back for a refund!

Original poster
KathyMCMLXXII · 28/02/2007 15:35

Thought so.
Oh well.

I was hoping someone would say 'Oh yes, only the finest corn-fed rare breed chickens have green bits, it means it's an exceptionally good chicken and will be quite delicious.'
(But did not really expect it )

OP posts:
Blu · 28/02/2007 15:36

I would take it back to the shop rather than binning it.

greenish does sound unusual.

ja9 · 28/02/2007 15:37

where's that barf emoticon someone was asking for?

Marina · 28/02/2007 15:37

I have cooked whiffy, gamey chicken before (I do agree a big organic bird can sometimes smell quite high)...but not with greeny bits...

Original poster
KathyMCMLXXII · 28/02/2007 15:45

OMG.
Well I went back into the kitchen to have another look, and having been out of the fridge for a few minutes it had really started to pong.
I wrapped it up in three layers of polythene and threw it away because I don't want it in the house any more.
I have just been bleaching the chopping board, the kitchen surface, the knife, the scissors, my hands and the phone because dh rang when I was in the middle of it.
Don't want to touch my baby now - I feel like I'm tainted.

OP posts:
Original poster
KathyMCMLXXII · 28/02/2007 15:45

Oh f* - computer keyboard will be contaminated too. How can I bleach that?

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Original poster
KathyMCMLXXII · 28/02/2007 15:52

And if it was this bad now, it has probably been not quite safe to eat for a good few days now.

OP posts:
Marina · 28/02/2007 16:09

I have got to be honest, when we buy our organic chicken from our fab butchers, it has definitely been hung and already smells a little lively. So we eat same day or freeze.
Actually, if it's British and I bet it is, it has probably been innoculated against salmonella Kathy, so although you feel a bit bleurgh I'm sure you'll be fine

Marina · 28/02/2007 16:09

Dettox wipe for your keyboard will do the trick

ScummyMummy · 28/02/2007 16:12

'Oh yes, only the finest corn-fed rare breed chickens have green bits, it means it's an exceptionally good chicken and will be quite delicious.' LOL! Hope you get a refund, kathy.

zippitippitoes · 28/02/2007 16:13

bin and or refund..ring up for it

I find this happens with organic chickens but not others

Original poster
KathyMCMLXXII · 28/02/2007 16:24

Thanks everyone. Good idea about the wipe - I think we have some of those.

It was British, Marina, so thanks for telling me about salmonella.

The first thing I'm going to do actually is to check the temperature of our fridge, in case it's not cold enough.

OP posts:
franke · 28/02/2007 16:27

This happened to me with an organic chicken - it's so galling when you've paid so much for it isn't it?

ohsmellyjelly · 28/02/2007 16:38

Message withdrawn

sweetkitty · 28/02/2007 16:41

The green tinge you are describing is caused by spoilage bacteria which in themselves are not harmful but produce chemcials that will taint the chicken and produce the lovely off smell. If it were well cooked you would kill off any harmful bugs like Salmonella or Campylobacter but the chicken would still taste off as you cannot kill off the chemicals.

So no I wouldn't eat the chicken, if you bought it on Saturday and it has a use within 5 days you should be able to go back and claim a refund as it's now unfit for consumption.

Hope that helps, I find the best thing to do with chicken is eat it fresh within a day or two if not freeze it and eat it within 24 hours of defrosting. (I was a food microbiologist btw one of my jobs was to give shelf lives to food).

Original poster
KathyMCMLXXII · 28/02/2007 16:42

Yes.
Fridge is cold enough, so it must be their fault. I hate complaining
Interesting that it happens to other people too.

OP posts:
sweetkitty · 28/02/2007 16:42

oh about your fridge when giving food shelf live dates they are tested at 8 degrees C which is what a domestic fridge should run at.

TBH I think you have been a bit unlucky as you are right at the end of the chickens shelf life.

Original poster
KathyMCMLXXII · 28/02/2007 16:44

Thanks, Sweetkitty.
Will definitely eat immediately in future (the plan was to have it yesterday for dh's 40th birthday but he wanted pizza instead).

OP posts:
franke · 28/02/2007 16:44

I complained (over the 'phone) and they said to bring it back for a refund, no problem.

Original poster
KathyMCMLXXII · 28/02/2007 16:55

OK I rang them up, they said to put it in the freezer and bring it back when we next come in.
Glad they said about the freezer (obvious when you think of it) because I really wasn't keen to have it round the house or carry a stinking chicken into town, even wrapped up in plastic!

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