To know if salmon is bad, check for these signs:
- Smell: Fresh salmon has a mild, clean smell, sometimes like the ocean. If the salmon smells strongly fishy, sour, or like ammonia, it is spoiled.
- Appearance: Fresh salmon is bright pink or orange, with shiny skin. Spoiled salmon becomes dull, grayish, or has dark spots or mold. A slimy white film on the surface signals spoilage.
- Texture: Fresh salmon is firm and bounces back when pressed. If it feels mushy, sticky, or slimy, it is no longer good to eat.
- For whole salmon: Clear, bulging eyes and red gills indicate freshness. Cloudy eyes and brownish gills are signs of spoilage.
If salmon shows any of these signs, it should be discarded to avoid food poisoning risks.
