Mince - pack puffed up

[SumthingAndNuthing]

Just had waitress delivery and the pack of mince I ordered is puffed up with air. Am I right that this might mean it's not safe to eat? (Pics attached)

*waitress = Waitrose...

I wouldn't eat it. In fact, assuming you don't live too far from a Waitrose, I'd take it back in to them along with the receipt and ask them to either replace it with a fresh pack or refund the money.

It looks fine to me? Aren't they normally like that?

Waitrose mince is always packed like that. It's absolutely ok.

Thanks @Lifeinlists . I haven't used Waitrose for years so wasn't sure if it is normal for them.

@BertieBotts - I just wondered as FSA says that swollen or 'blown' packs can be a sign that bacteria have grown in food or drinks.

Check the date, give it a sniff. Highly likely to be absolutely fine :)

That's not air its a mix of an inert gas like nitrogen and CO2- known as gas flushing. All packaged meat goes through this process to stop discolouration and reduce decay time.

Waitrose meat is always packaged like that. We eat it all the time

That would be if the packaging is different to how it normally is. IME when you get mince packaged like this, it does have air inside to stop the meat going brown which looks unappetising.

When mince is off it shrinks the packaging around itself rather than blowing it out. Blowing out is more for things that ferment.

Also to protect it a bit - the older rigid packets have the rigidity to protect the meat from getting squashed, these use air to puff out and give a bit of protection.

Also if it has gone brown, it normally is safe to eat - it's just oxidisation.

If it's brown plus smelly, slimy, or has shrunk the packaging, throw it away.

At least it isn’t one of the revolting breeze blocks of impacted mince from Sainsbury’s. You could build houses with them

Thanks for the reassurance everyone. It's for the freezer so I'll decant and give it the sniff test.