Can pork have a gamey smell

Pork with a slight gamey smell is generally edible, but it is not recommended to consume if the odor is obvious or accompanied by spoilage characteristics. The gamey taste of pork may be related to factors such as variety differences, feeding methods, storage conditions, processing, and meat freshness.

The gamey smell of pork is common in uncircumcised boars or specific local breeds. This type of meat is safe and edible, and can be removed by blanching, marinating with cooking wine, or pairing with spices such as ginger and star anise. Pork that has undergone acid treatment in the formal slaughter process, even if it has a slight fishy smell, is a normal phenomenon, and high-temperature cooking does not affect the safety of consumption. If pork emits a pungent and putrid odor, secretes mucus, or turns green or gray in color, it indicates that it has spoiled and may breed pathogenic bacteria or produce harmful substances. This type of meat may cause gastrointestinal discomfort even after high-temperature treatment and should be discarded immediately. When some people are sensitive to gamey odors or suffer from metabolic diseases, it is recommended to choose cold fresh meat or branded pork with a light odor.

When purchasing pork in daily life, it should be observed that the meat color is bright red and shiny, the touch is slightly wet and not sticky to the hands, and it should be refrigerated and stored for no more than 3 days. Before cooking, soak in clean water for half an hour or scrub with light salt water to remove fishy odors, and use acidic ingredients such as hawthorn vinegar to help decompose odor substances. It is recommended that people with special physical conditions or young children choose areas with low fat content such as the spine as complementary foods to reduce the risk of consuming gamey odors.