Mince - still good to eat

[flyingcloud]

Oooh, this makes me so cross. Just fished out some supermarket (good brand) mince from the fridge, use by date today (date of manufacture 30/09).

It's a little grey and quite strong smelling, without smelling bad (I had to have a good sniff, rather than bowled over by the smell when I opened the packaging. It's smelling quite strong on cooking too.

I'm inclined to think it's ripe rather than gone.

It seems that everything I buy nowadays never lasts until the use by date. I suppose food is naturally supposed to go off and unnatural methods are often used to keep it fresh - but still, it seems to happen all the time.

Just wondered if you thought it was ok to eat? It's stewing away in tomato sauce with LOTS of garlic.

is your fridge working properly? is it at the right setting.

Yes it will be fine.

Mince going grey doesn't mean it has gone off.

Thanks - we ate it and no one got sick, but yes I've a feeling that the fridge is partly to blame. We've just ordered a new one.

Thanks again.

Oxidisation causes meat to go grey particulary mince/stewing etc. Its where the air has got in. If you take out mince out of packet and put in fridge it usually does this. It does give a different aroma but is perfectly safe to eat - like you said.