How can you tell if food is spoiled?

To determine if food is spoiled, it's essential to evaluate multiple sensory indicators, which is why the selected answer is the most comprehensive. Spoiled food often exhibits visible signs such as discoloration or an abnormal texture, along with significant changes in smell. These factors are indicators of microbial growth or chemical changes that can occur during spoilage.

Smelling for off odors is certainly a useful cue, as unpleasant scents typically indicate decomposition or spoilage, but focusing solely on this aspect leaves out important visual cues that can be equally telling. Just checking color and texture may miss critical warnings that come from smell or other qualitative changes in the food. Tasting a small piece of potentially spoiled food is unsafe; this method poses health risks, as harmful pathogens or toxins may be present even if there are no immediate symptoms like odd smell or a strange appearance.

Therefore, the most effective way to assess food spoilage involves a holistic approach: examining for off smells, noticeable discoloration, and unusual textures. This layered assessment helps ensure that food safety is prioritized, reducing the risk of foodborne illnesses.