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Is it safe to eat sliced turkey after that slimy stuff starts forming?

If it passes the sniff test, you’re good to gobble. “Strong off-odours, not slime, indicate spoilage,” says Brian Nummer, PhD, a food-safety professor at Utah State University. That’s because the goo you see is produced when harmless lactobacillus bacteria start feasting on the sugar that some manufacturers add for flavour. However, if lactobacillus bacteria multiply to the point that a smell develops, there’s a small chance that the bacteria responsible for food-borne illness could multiply too. For the longest-lasting turkey or deli meat, buy it pre-sliced and packaged (what’s cut at the deli counter is exposed to more bacteria). Pre-sliced turkey is often heat-treated in the package, making it good for at least seven days after opening.