To know if salmon is bad, check the following key signs:

• Smell: Fresh salmon should have a mild, neutral, or ocean-like smell. If it smells sour, rancid, overly fishy, or like ammonia, it is likely spoiled and should be discarded

• Appearance: Fresh salmon has a bright pink or orange color with clear, distinct white lines (albumin). If the flesh looks dull, grayish, discolored, or has brown patches, it may be bad

• Texture: Fresh salmon flesh is firm and springs back when pressed. If it feels mushy, flimsy, slimy, sticky, or has a white filmy coating (not the normal albumin from cooking), it is a sign of spoilage

• Other: For whole salmon, fresh fish have clear eyes, bright red gills, and skin that is wet but not slimy. Cloudy eyes, dull gills, and slimy skin indicate spoilage

If you notice any of these signs, it is safest to throw the salmon out to avoid food poisoning, which can cause symptoms like nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain

. Additionally, use fresh salmon within 1-2 days of purchase or freeze it to maintain safety

. When in doubt, discard the fish. Summary:

• Bad smell (sour, ammonia, strong fishy)
• Discolored or dull flesh
• Slimy, mushy, or sticky texture
• Cloudy eyes and dull gills (whole fish)

Throw out salmon if these signs appear to avoid health risks