Q&A for How to Know if Salmon Is Bad

It's normal for the meat right next to the skin to have a grayish color. Just make sure that the rest of the meat isn't discolored or slimy.

Smoked salmon does not require more cooking - the smoking process has already cooked the fish. Enjoy warm or cold!

Although it may seem counter intuitive because salmon is a type of fish, if it's still edible it should not smell unpleasantly "fishy" in any way. If your salmon smells somewhat sour or anything like ammonia,, it has gone bad and you need to toss it. Fresh salmon has a mild aroma, or one that smells similar to the sea.

It really just depends on your salmon's "best before" and "sell by" date. You should follow the date printed on the package.

Frozen salmon will stay good indefinitely (as long as it stays frozen). Some people will advocate throwing out salmon that has been frozen for so long it has "freezer burn" - brown or white patches - but if you aren't finicky about the texture, then it's perfectly OK to eat salmon with freezer burn.

You will get very sick. You will probably vomit and may also experience a high fever and diarrhea.

If it has green on it, it has gone bad. Throw it out. If you bought it recently you should be able to get a refund, so return it to the store.

It's best if you don't eat it if it appears discoloured, as that's not a normal coloration for this fish. Don't eat it, it's simply not worth the risk of illness.

Blackening, baking, and steaming are good options for cooking the skin.