How does bacon last so long?

[EvianBaby]

Bought a packet of unsmoked bacon probably a couple of weeks ago at least and forgot all about it. Just dug it out of th fridge and it's still good until at least 30th august according to the bbd. I'm sure other meat wouldn't last that long, or does it?

[woofgang]

Its salted. Salt is a very old kind of preservative.

[sandyRoe]

Bacon is full of salt which keeps it from going off.

[vodkancoke]

Hey EB...I think because it's cured meat, it lasts longer than fresh meat x

[tonyav]

Any chance of a sandwich, evian.

[ChuckFickens]

There is a little more to it as well as just salt (otherwise it's just salt pork)...

But yes, essentially, it's because it's a cured (i.e. preserved) meat.

[snags]

The vacuum packaging must also help.

[woofgang]

you can vaccuum pack fresh meat but it still doesn't make it last as long. You can store bacon without vacuum packing and it still will last longer.

[EvianBaby]

Hhhmm, you know when you ask something and immediately feel dumb for not already knowing the answer......

Sorry Tony, it's making it's way into my belly now.

[ChuckFickens]

It won't go off if left out the packaging, you'll just end up with very dry bacon, (bacon jerky if you like)

[tonyav]

DOH.

[bazwillrun]

"it's cured meat"

what was wrong with it ?!

[snags]

''It won't go off if left out the packaging''

I've noticed an open pack of bacon, if left, sometimes go a bit 'slimy'.

[Old_Geezer]

It doesn't last long in my house.

[heathfield]

Unfortunately, these days it's almost impossible to get hold of proper smoke-cured bacon, which seems to keep forever. In one of Dee Brown's books, (The Fetterman Massacre?, Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee?), there's an account of some US cavalry having to eat from sides of bacon they'd been carrying for eighteen months. Mice had actually tunnelled into the bacon, eating the fat. Didn't do the troops any harm.

[mike11111]

More to the point, a bottle of milk, even in the fridge, would turn after a couple of days in the early 70s. Now it keeps for ten days or more. Why?

[Baldric]

http://www.dailymail....-second-thoughts.html



hope that works

[jomifl]

Mike, some dairies now microfilter milk to remove bacteria as well as pasteurising it. I've known it to last a month even when opened.,

[baza]

butty with a dash of worcester sauce, bacon will not last 5 mins.