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How to Tell if Mayo Has Gone Bad

Good old mayo… We have all been told since we were little to not leave the mayo out because it will go bad. If you have a sandwich with mayo then you also deal with the same concern.

Mayonnaise is one of those ingredients you don’t want to eat when it has gone bad.

The best way to tell if mayo has gone bad is to give it the smell test. If it has a strong smell of vinegar then it most likely has gone bad. It should have a fresh smell, not a foul odor. Another way to tell is by the way the mayonnaise looks.

Top 3 ways to tell if mayonnaise is bad

These are the best steps to take when you are trying to figure out if mayo is still good or not. I like to do them in this order and if in any way during the process it doesn’t pass the test then I will toss it.

You don’t want to eat spoiled mayo.

Smell the mayo

This by far is one of the easiest ways to tell. If you give your mayo a whiff and it smells off, then that is a good sign that it is not good.

If it has a rotten egg odor or a strong smell of vinegar then it is safe to say that you need to get some new spread.

Look at the mayo

The easiest way to tell when looking at the mayo is if the oil has separated. This is a good sign that it has sat for too long or has not been refrigerated.

If it looks like a glob of fat with a bunch of liquid, and it also smells, then those are also good signs that it is no good.

If you see any signs of mold then the game is over and go ahead and toss it in the trash.

Check the date of the mayonnaise

This is probably the last check that I do. If it has gone past its expiration date then most likely the mayo has gone bad.

If it is close to the date then I do the smell and visual test to give you a better idea if it worth keeping or not.

Best way to prevent mayo from going bad

There are a few best practices to have good mayo that you don’t have to worry about dealing with a food born illness.

Refrigerate your mayo

This should go without saying. Mayo has egg in it and you need to keep it refrigerated after it has been opened. Use what you need and then get back into the fridge to keep it for another day.

Heat is not your best friend when it comes to mayo!

Use it before the expiration date

This is by far the best way to have a fresh product. The closer you get to expiration the more of a chance that the mayo will be going bad.

Make your own and use it within the week

Mayo is so easy to make. If you make your own you will know it’s fresh and you won’t have to worry in the first few days if it has gone bad or not.

Nothing beats fresh mayo when add it to a chicken salad recipe without celery.

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