Unlike disease-causing bacteria that thrive at high temperatures, rotting bacteria can appear at low temperatures, such as in a refrigerator. Bacteria cause unpleasant odors, discoloration and mold. Chicken broth has many uses in the kitchen.
It does not matter if it is homemade or from the packaging, before using the broth, it is better to check if it has spoiled. Eating spoiled chicken broth can lead to severe digestive upset.
1. If stock was purchased from a store, check the expiration date. Get rid of it if the deadline has passed.
2. Consider the container in which the chicken stock is stored. When bacteria multiply, they release gas, which inflates the container. For this reason, plastic containers can suddenly open and leak, and the lids of the cans can inflate.
3. Smell the chicken stock. Any foreign smell indicates that the broth has gone bad. Mostly rotten chicken stock smells like rotten eggs or old bread. In the human brain, there are special receptors that act as a defense, eliciting a physiological response to stimuli that are regarded as sources of danger. Any bad smell that makes your eyes watery or starts a gag reflex means your brain is sending you a signal of danger.
4. Visually inspect the broth. Any signs of mildew or cloudy consistency of the broth indicate that it has gone bad.
