Red Spots on Chicken – Don’t Worry

Red spots are some blood spots that may appear on the flesh of a chicken after slaughter. Chicken is often a household favorite meal. First, it is healthy as it has white meat, hence less sodium in the body, it is tasty, depending on how it has been prepared and also helps.

It is rich in protein that helps to repair damaged body tissues. When you go to the store and pick that chicken that you want to prepare for your family dinner, you are unlikely to notice any flaws at first.

This is most probably because it has been sealed and an expiry date to guide trough the shelf life of the chicken has been given. Once you have opened the seal and begin to notice some red spots, it is most probable that you may be caught up in the worry of whether or not the chicken has gone bad. You may also feel the need to change the vendor and consider another vendor since it may present an impression of poorly preserved or inspected meat.

You in turn may even doubt all their other products. Red spots are common and may sometimes have nothing to do with the vendor. The appearance of red spots, however scary, should not serve as an appropriate red flag in the purchase of meat, since it may actually not be risky at all.

Causes of the Appearance of Red Spots on Your Chicken

Some red spots may appear to be on the surface of the skin of the chicken, while on others, they appear inside the flesh of the chicken and may not disappear even when the chicken has been fully cooked but instead turn black or grey. This may cause the chicken to lose its appeal and even, for some people, kill its appetite. There are a number of reasons that could cause red spots on the flesh of the chicken. These are:

• Infestation by parasites. When the chicken may have formerly been infested by either internal or external parasites, you are likely to notice some red spots on the flesh which may be a pointer to a wound that may have been caused by the parasite. The wound is, however, not likely to pose any risk when the chicken is properly cooked, for internal parasites, you are likely to notice some red spots on the organs of the chicken.
• When chicken is chilled for a long time, you are more likely to notice any imperfection that the chicken may have.
• Poor handling of the meat. If the butcher poorly handled the meat or did not thoroughly clean it up after slaughter, there is likely to be some blood spots that are left on the flesh. These blood spots may dry up and become noticeable by the customer as they prepare their meal.
• Blood clots. The chicken, while alive, may have had blood clots inside of the blood vessels. During slaughter, it is possible for these to become conspicuous and raise alarm, much as they may not contain any infection at all.
• Allergic reactions. If the chicken may have suffered an allergic reaction to certain things, it is likely to have red spots on its skin at the time of its slaughter. These signify wounds that may have been caused in the flesh.
• In the event that a part of a chicken was bruised, you are likely to notice some blood spots that may have been made visible by the platelets, which are components of the blood responsible for the repair of wounds.

Additional Reading
Buy or make pasta sauce, which is cheaper?
Can you eat garlic leaves?
Can you eat rare lamb?

Is It Harmful?

Some of these factors that cause red spots may be beyond the butcher’s control. Sometimes, they can also be outside of the farmer’s control. They may make the chicken less attractive, but there is not enough proof that the chicken is harmful for consumption. However, there are indicators of chicken that may have gone bad that you need to look out for. These are:

• Chicken that has gone bad has an odor that is strong and unpleasant. It may have a smell that is almost like the one on rotten eggs or ammonia.
• Fresh chicken has a pink color to it. If your raw chicken has begun changing color and now appears grayish, then it has gone bad.
• A chicken that is safe to cook and consume has a fleshy appearance and feels somewhat slimy. However, if this texture is more sticky and won’t disappear when the chicken is washed, then the chances that the chicken has gone bad are high.
• Shelf Life. If you have stored the chicken beyond its expiry date, then there are chances that if cooked after, it may be harmful for consumption.
• Visible growth of foreign things on the flesh of chicken. Once chicken has gone bad, it may begin to grow mold. This makes it harmful for consumption,

If you notice any of these signs alongside the red spots that are appearing on your chicken, then it is time to throw away the chicken. You may notice all the signs at once, but the rest will be visible the more the chicken is stored. The red spots occurring alone are therefore least likely to pose harm and not a sign of the raw chicken going bad.

Tips for ensuring that the chicken purchased contains minimal or no red spots

For a number of people, the appearance of food when raw may affect their appetite. If attractive, they are likely to eat larger portions, but if it contains flaws, they are likely to not eat at all. It is therefore important to ensure that you have this in consideration by ensuring that you;

• Thoroughly clean the meat. Once you have purchased the raw chicken, it is important that you clean the meat properly by soaking it for around thirty minutes and ensuring that the blood has been drained before cooking the meat.
• Check the expiry date. Sometimes, the raw chicken may have other characteristics as a sign that it is spoilt. Ensure that you have checked the expiry date of the chicken before purchasing it.
• Avoid raw chicken that has been frozen for a long time. Food that has been refrigerated for a long time is likely to have more pronounced flaws when it has been thawed. You may consider buying raw chicken that has been freshly slaughtered.
• Buying organic raw chicken. This is chicken that has been raised and fed on natural feed. It, therefore, is most likely to have red spots since it does not consume chemicals but rather, nutrients that make it healthier even in its appearance.
• Find a vendor with a good record of hygiene. A vendor that has been certified is unlikely to poorly handle the raw chicken.

You do not need to worry about the red spots on your chicken. However, over and above the effort that you may make to reduce the appearance of red spots, it is important to ensure that you have properly cooked your chicken meat. You may choose to boil it prior, to ensure any bacteria or substance likely to cause disease has been killed. The meat can also be microwaved and then steamed so as to ensure the flesh is good enough for safe consumption.